The Uchiha Tragedy
by Quijote3000
Summary: High quality. A love that doesn't have the right to exist struggles to survive against all odds, faced with a dark future. A story of burning love and hatred. Sasuke X Sakura, maybe. Who knows? Pretty violent.
1. Getting ready to leave

**Chapter 1: Getting Ready to Leave**

_--------_

"_Of course I think love is important, Iruka-sensei. Love is a weapon that must always be considered in the field of battle. Love is the reason many great shinobis invincible in open battle have died sleeping on their own beds, at the hands of people they thought they could trust. Love is the reason kunoichis have a higher assassination rate of success over male shinobis. Love is only for the fools" _

_Uchiha Sasuke_

_------------_

"_Don't forget your purpose. This village will only become the shackles that bind you. It's best to cut those worthless connections._

"_Come with us. If you do, Orochimaru-sama will give you strength"_

The words repeated themselves over and over in Sasuke's mind.

He didn't want anything else in life. He had vowed to get revenge in life. He had thought the only way to do that was staying in the Leaf. But a new path had opened, and he had to make a choice. Time had come to make a choice, once and for all.

He was standing where he and Naruto had fought that same morning.

He was standing where Naruto had showed him who was stronger.

He was going to use Chidori again. The energy started gathering around his arm. Chidori was an awesome technique, but one that required a very high amount of Chakra. He only had enough to try two times. He had used it once against Naruto. Although he had rested for a while, the battle against the Sound Four had been too tiring. So he had to bet his life and future on only one try.

The chakra continued gathering, more than the last time, more than ever before. With a scream of fury, he charged against the wall. The wall received the hit, and a huge hole appeared.

But the wall didn't shatter and didn't fall. As always, he had failed again.

Sasuke fell to the ground, trying to regain his breath. He was shaking for a few seconds. He finally smiled.

Hai, the answers he had been looking for all along were there. And Naruto had shown him the truth. Was he strong? The answer was no. In a real fight to death, he could still beat Naruto with speed and strategy, but when it came down to raw power, Naruto was stronger. Was he strong enough to beat his brother? No, not even if he trained the rest of his life. He was just too worthless and without any talent, specially compared to his brother. Would he have to leave the Leaf and go to Orochimaru? Choosing revenge over his own life? Was revenge that important?

The survivor of a massacre stared at his hands. Why had he been working so hard? The answer was never in doubt. He would leave. He had his own path, and nothing and nobody would stop him. In a way, Naruto had been kind. He had woken him up. He had thought that he could be an avenger and find revenge for the death of his family, and still live in the Leaf. But Naruto had told him, with actions, that he was wrong. It was time to awaken from from his peaceful slumber

He closed his eyes, and examined his reasons for staying. He wanted to make sure. Loyalty to the Leaf? No, the Leaf for him was just a place, a place where people that he cared about lived. That was all. Loyalty to the Uchiha reputation as the protectors of the Leaf? If he was the last survivor of the clan, the reputation was already lost forever. He was too weak, anyway. Loyalty to Kakashi? No, he was just his sensei. He respected him, but his hate against Itachi was stronger. Loyalty to Sakura and Naruto...?

To this Sasuke actually stopped, he cared about them, no question about that. But... compared against his hate... He remembered all the discussions he had with Naruto. He remembered that he actually felt better after any heated argument with that dove. It helped him to take away his attention from some hard memories. But... if he ever wanted to get revenge, would he leave Naruto? Would he do what Itachi had suggested a long time ago?

Sasuke smiled. He would do as Haku had said once. If possible, he didn't want to kill him, but if Naruto tried to stop him for reaching his life-mission, he would destroy his heart and become a true shinobi. Nobody would stop him, even if it was his best friend, a secret that he hadn't shared with anybody.

And about Sakura...

In another lifetime, at least he would have liked to go on a date with her. But she was truly one of his most dangerous enemies for doing his duty. Probably it hadn't meant anything to her then, but during the first exam with Kakashi, he had opened up to her. She had fainted, because of Kakashi's special genjutsu, and when she had hugged him, he hadn't pulled back immediately from her. He had tried to explain his reasons. The man only he could kill. That time crying... It was the first time ever he had spoken about his past with anybody. He still didn't know why he had opened to much to her. For four years he hadn't told anybody about that. Of course, due to his perfect bad luck, since that day Sakura's crush for him had worsened even more, but he didn't mind that much. She was annoying as hell, but compared to Naruto, she was okay.

Sasuke closed the eyes. He remembered all about her, her smile, her green eyes, her pink hair, the way she looked at him... He also remembered about a night with a red moon... Doubts were totally useless. The choice was done. His choice was on death for his brother, even if that meant the death of his own soul.

Sakura and Naruto were precious companions to him. They had given him precious memories, memories of peace and happiness. He would store them deep inside his mind, as he walked the road to hell.

Once the course of his life was decided, Sasuke started walking proudly for his house, without looking back… or to the trees.

He was the top rookie of the academy, and he had a lot of talent, but he was still only at chuunin level at best. That was the reason that he couldn't detect a jounin that had been watching him all along, a jounin that had the sharingan.

---------------

The room's furniture was scarce. Once that same room had been full of memories. Pictures of his family, a framed picture with his first grades from the Academy, a drawing he had done when he was just six years old... He had burned all those memories a long time ago. Now, there was only one personal item that could prove that he lived there: A picture. Team Seven. He, Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi. He had framed his copy, back in the time he had dreamed about a life in the safe haven of the Leaf. He always looked at it before training. This time took a longer glance at it, before setting it down.

He had put just some spare clothes and some weapons in one backpack, and he was ready to leave. After twelve years living in the Leaf, he was mildly surprised that there wasn't anything that he wanted to take with him. But that was for the best. He was an avenger. An avenger didn't have place for weaknesses.

He started walking out of the house that stored so many happy and sad memories, when a sudden knock on the door startled him. It took him exactly twenty-two seconds to hide the backpack safely under his bed, and open the door with an innocent expression.

He had at first suspected that it could be the Sound Four, to try to speak to him again. Maybe it could also be Naruto wanting another fight, or worse, Sakura trying to reach to him. He wasn't expecting Kakashi.

"Hello, Kakashi sensei." Sasuke said politely. He didn't invite him to enter.

"How are you? Sorry for disturbing you so late" Kakashi said. He didn't ask permission to enter, either

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked, cutting straight to the point. He appreciated things clear, and hated wasting time.

"Some suspicious shinobis have been spotted. They have been identified as Orochimaru's henchmen, and I was afraid they may come for you." answered Kakashi, also straight to the point.

Sasuke sighed. So the Sound Four have been stupid enough to be spotted. It was a wonder Orochimaru was alive with shinobis so worthless under his command.

"Why would they come to me?" The Uchiha asked "If Orochimaru was interested in me, he should have realized by now that he made a mistake."

"A mistake?"

"Of course. I can't beat Gaara, I can't beat Itachi, and I can't even beat Naruto. I'm just a waste of time. Four years training to beat my brother, and he didn't even pay any attention to me."

«But brother», He mentally added. «At least I'll make you look back at me, even if you kill me next»

"So, have you thought about what we spoke?" Kakashi inquired.

Sasuke grinned. Of course, the lecture from Kakashi. It had been only a few hours ago, but for him it was almost a lifetime.

"Hai, Kakashi-sensei. I have decided." Sasuke took a big breath before speaking "If my brother knelt down in front of me and apologized for his deeds, not even then I would forgive him. If Heaven and Hell switched places, not even then I would forgive him. If the sun and the moon exploded, and an eternity of darkness came over earth, not even then I would forgive him."

Kakashi closed his eyes, sadly. Sasuke wasn't finished yet.

"I am going to kill him. I don't care if I have to burn my body and my soul to do it. I don't care about anything but making him pay. If it's necessary, I'll do a suicide jutsu. If it's necessary, I'll learn forbidden jutsus. I don't care how, but sooner or later, he _will_ pay."

"If you keep going down that road" Kakashi warned "it will only end in tragedy. And don't think you will find happiness or peace. There will be only emptiness."

Sasuke smirked.

"So? Once that man is dead, I'll deal with whatever happens later."

"What about the people that care about you?" Kakashi attacked.

Sasuke closed the eyes for a second.

"Naruto will find another rival sooner or later. He is blessed with that kind of stupidity. Sakura will forget about me sooner or later, and she will find somebody that can actually love her back. I'm better out of their lives, or else they would get sucked down in my revenge, and they would die" Before Kakashi could say anything, Sasuke attacked "Out of curiosity, sensei. You told me that the people you loved the most have already been killed."

Kakashi moved back, and that was exactly what the last Uchiha was looking for. He knew that Kakashi never wanted to speak about himself or his past.

"What did you do when they were killed, sensei? Did you search for revenge, and it ended in tragedy? Or did you give up before the fight, and that's the reason you don't want anybody else to look for vengeance?"

"Stop it" Kakashi warned "I found some answers for myself. And my answers are not your answers."

"Exactly. I'll find my own answers, and I'll get them when, and only when, I have my hands bloodied with the blood of the traitor." Sasuke smirked. He had manoeuvred himself to a safe position in this discussion. Hell, why was this happening the same moment he was leaving?

"As you wish" answered Kakashi turning back, leaving him.

Sasuke's eyes darted back to his room, where his backpack was hidden.

"By the way, "Kakashi said as if it just happened to remember" ANBU members have been posted around the village to catch those Sounds. If you see anybody suspicious, be sure to report"

"Of course, Kakashi sensei" Sasuke answered politely. He was burning inside.

Sasuke closed the door. This was bad. His plans for escaping the cage that was the Leaf had to be delayed. With the ANBU around the village, his possibilities of escaping without being detected were slim. Still, it was okay. He would be careful, and wait for the right moment to leave the Leaf. But he would do it. Sooner or later, he would do it. It was just a matter of time. Sooner or later, he would get power. Then, he would fight his brother. Then, only then, his family's spirits would find peace.

-----------------

"It's confirmed. Sasuke is planning to leave the Leaf" Kakashi announced to the other two people in the room. Tsunade, also known as "the Fifth", also known as "old hag" and Jiraiya, also known as "that pervert"

"Are you totally positive?" asked Tsunade

"Sadly, yes". He has never opened up so much to me in all the time I have been his sensei. He even spoke about Naruto and Sakura as if he wasn't going to be with them anymore. He even noticed he slipped, and quickly changed topics.

"Then... what are we supposed to do? Arrest him?"

"What for, Tsunade-sama? He never told the Sound Four he had accepted the offer. He decided it later. I don't have any doubts he already made a choice, but can't arrest somebody only for thinking about leaving"

"We could put him under constant surveillance" Jiraiya considered.

"Useless." answered Kakashi answered. "He will be very careful when selecting the moment. It could be tomorrow, or next month, and he will do it in the perfect moment. I have trained him myself, after all. By the time we noticed, he would already be with Orochimaru. And locking him up is actually a worse destiny than death. For him, killing his brother is not part of his life. It's his life. Take that away, and you won't find anything else. Whatever else was left, it died years ago."

"So, you agree the best course of action is killing him?" asked Tsunade

"I'm afraid..."

The discussion was cut short when Jiraiya's fist slammed against the table of Tsunade's office

"This is ridiculous! Is this the best idea you can think of? "Kill him and everything will be solved" That's bullshit! Shit! This is reason I didn't want to be Hokage!"

"Just for the sake or revenge, he could become another Orochimaru" warned Kakashi.

"Do you have another idea?" asked Tsunade

Jiraiya didn't answer but stormed out of the office, leaving the other two occupants looking at each other.

"Kakashi, go after him. Make sure he doesn't tell anybody else" ordered Tsunade "Watch carefully Sasuke. If he changes his mind, let him live. But if he is still determined to leave the Leaf, we can't avoid doing what we will do."

"All right" answered Kakashi.

"Kakashi" The Fifth Hokage warned "if you don't think you can do it, I can order the assassination to be carried out by the ANBU"

"Don't worry, Tsunade-sama" answered Kakashi. There was a sad smile behind the mask "I'm not as weak as the Third was. For the Leaf, I'll kill Sasuke, if I have to."

Tsunade nodded.

And outside, in the streets, one young kunoichi waited until dawn in a street that Sasuke had to take to leave the Leaf. Only after the sun appeared over the horizon, she managed to smile. She even dared to think that everything would be all right. Like before.


	2. I'm losing control

**Chapter 2: I'm losing control**

"_Iruka-sensei, it's not that I didn't write the Shinobi saying #25 because I didn't know it. It's just that I don't believe it. "No matter what place... errr, situation... a shinobi must keep the... emotions? Hai. Emotions outside... errr, inside..." But sensei, emotions are what makes us humans. That saying doesn't make any sense. Is that right? Is that right... What? Failed again? Fifth time? No!"_

_Uzimaki Naruto_

Sasuke woke up to the sound of his mother.

"Sasuke, wake up. You have to go training" Her gentle voice warned.

"I'm going, I'm going" he replied lazily.

Sasuke got up really slowly from his bed. Damn it. He had to ask his mother to stop waking him up. He was already a genin, and still his mother didn't allow him to have his own alarm clock.

Still, at least for that time, and only that time, he was glad for hearing his mother urging him to eat a lot "It's the most important meal of the day", because the nightmare had been too real.

Sasuke looked up to his parents. His father was reading the newspaper and his mother was cleaning some plates. Sasuke smiled at that familiar sight. He felt a warm and strong aura coming closer.

"Good morning."

"Morning Itachi." Sasuke looked proudly at his brother, the strongest in the Leaf. His brother "Can you listen to me for a moment? Today I had the weirdest dream. I dreamt that you were a demon that killed the whole Uchiha clan, and I was an avenger that had to kill you"

Itachi smiled. But his smile, always warm, this time was a little more... feral?

"But that couldn't be, brother. Because you are too weak" Just then Sasuke noticed that Itachi was not wearing his normal clothes. He was wearing a black cape with red clouds.

"Brother?" Sasuke asked, just before the stench of death surrounded him. Sasuke turned around, to ask his parents about Itachi. He couldn't ask because they were dead, killed four years ago. Their flesh had rotted already, and only the bones remained. Their empty sockets were looking at him, asking him, accusing him. Why didn't you save us? Why didn't you avenge us?

"No, no" Sasuke pleaded, with guilt, regret, pain, loneliness... Only then he turned to Itachi. Only then he remembered a painful feeling, but a feeling that was far better than those others: Hate, pure, unadulterated hate.

"Brother" Sasuke repeated "I'm going to kill you."

The self-proclaimed Avenger screamed and ran to the older brother, but the gap between them was getting bigger and bigger, no matter how fast he ran.

"Do you want to know why you are weak? It's because your hate is not strong enough. You are worthless" After saying those words Itachi turned around. He was too strong and important to waste time with weaklings.

"Listen to me brother! I'm going to kill you! I'll hate you! I'll hate you so much that nothing will stand between us! And I'll kill you! Do you hear me? I'll kill you!" screamed Sasuke. He was already sinking in the deepest pit. His brother was too far away from him, because his hate was not strong enough.

Sasuke bolted upright from the bed. He was panting, and he was hearing somebody scream. It took him ten seconds, far more than usual, to notice that it was him. He looked around. The room was still in darkness. He switched on the light, and got inside the bed. He made sure that he was completely covered by the blankets. He moved to a fetal position.

"Mum, dad, please believe me. I'll avenge you. I'm sorry. Please, believe, I'll avenge you" he repeated as a mantra until he got asleep again. He had found out that repeating it over and over helped him to clear the mind in those moments. He should know, after he had that kind of nightmares for years after losing his parents. He had been getting a little better, after entering Team 7. But the memories were flooding back after the meeting with his brother.

-------------------

Sasuke walked to the bridge with a tired face. But he wasn't the first. Sakura was already there. She too had a tired face. Still, she smiled at him.

"Good morning Sasuke-kun" she said, as she did every day. As if everything was the same as before.

Sasuke was feeling the need to get away. She was so bright that it was hurting him.

"Sakura. What the hell were you thinking the other day?" He asked brusquely.

"The other ..."

"Stepping between Naruto and me. If Kakashi hadn't been there, you would have died, if not by mine, by Naruto's jutsu."

«And that's one of the reasons I have to leave. I can't protect those that are around me.» he mentally added.

"But, but" stammered Sakura "That fight was... wrong. You two are friends. You don't have to fight..."

"Sakura, you don't understand." Sasuke explained "You better pray that you never do."

Sakura looked at him, and he saw her opening his mouth to say something, but somebody else interrupted.

"Sasuke, I want to fight you" A familiar voice announced

Sasuke sighed. He probably was a terrible person in a past life, because he had a really screwed up karma. His whole life trying to focus on his revenge, and bothersome people kept appearing everywhere.

"Sasuke, I want to fight you" Naruto repeated.

"Aa" he answered, looking away. That's was just what he needed, another fight with the idiot. He didn't have the luxury to risk getting hurt. Not when he needed to get out of Leaf

"Sasuke! Let's fight!" yelled Naruto.

"Shut up, idiot I don't feel like fighting today"

"Sasuke. I want to fight. I need to see who is stronger. I want to fight right now."

He too had wanted to see who was stronger. He could relate to that. Some days ago he would have jumped for that, but it was too late.

"Fine. I accept the fight" answered Sasuke, and almost before the face of excitement from Naruto, and the face of horror from Sakura could appear, he continued speaking "Now I forfeit. Naruto, you win by default. Congratulations. You are stronger than me. Tell that to your grandsons and leave me alone.

Hell, anybody would get the hint that he wasn't in the mood to fight, even that idiot. He needed to concentrate on more important things: Escaping from the Leaf and revenge against _that_ man

"Sasuke! Don't ignore me!"

Then again, if Naruto hadn't got the hints that Hinata liked him, nothing sort of spelling it out to him would work

"Sasuke! I am telling you to fight me!"

Sasuke continued paying a lot of attention to the street opposite of where Naruto was standing, but the blond ninja quickly stepped into view.

"Don't ignore me! You coward!"

Something clicked on Sasuke's brain. It could be that he was thinking on Itachi when Naruto appeared in front of him. It could be his frustration of wasting his time there waiting for Kakashi. It could be that insult. But right after Naruto screamed the next thing he knew was that he was jumping against Naruto.

-------------

Naruto at first was just angry. He didn't want to fight Sasuke. He only wanted to be acknowledged by him. He knew that Sasuke had problems, but he was sure that he could cope with them. He wasn't his rival just for his looks. So he stepped in front of him and yelled at him. The next thing he knew was that he was flying, being pushed. And before he could react, he found himself pressed against the wall. And Sasuke was in front of him, pushing him with one arm. The other arm was holding a kunai that was aiming straight to his neck.

"Let me make myself clear. If you utter another word, just another word, I'll kill you" said Sasuke, with the Sharingan activated.

Naruto still opened his mouth to say something. He was going to call Sasuke a bastard. He was going to tell him that he was not scared. He was going to call him again a coward. But then he saw Sasuke's eyes.

They were full of intent to kill. And in that moment he knew it. He knew that he wasn't bluffing. He was really going to kill him. Straight kill. It would be one hit and one-way ticket to heaven. Sasuke's eyes held no doubt or fear. For one of the first times in his life, he didn't know what to say. He couldn't even think.

Sasuke was trembling. He was watching Naruto's neck. "If you want these eyes, you have to kill your best friend" The words repeated themselves over and over in his brain, no matter what he did to shut them off. And yet, it would be so easy. He could do it with just one simple movement with the hand. Just one and... Itachi would be next...

"Sasuke!" said a scared voice. Sakura's

Sasuke got out of his reverie, and violently threw Naruto against the opposite way of the street, away from him.

Sasuke's hands were trembling. He put them in his pockets and looked away. Apparently as if he didn't care. But his hands were trembling. Sasuke tried desperately to calm himself, but he couldn't. What the hell had been that? How could he lose control like that? If Sakura hadn't been there...

Sasuke turned around. Naruto's face was one of shock, surprise, confusion... Sakura's was one of fear. And those faces were hurting him. He tried to apologize, for one second. Then he thought better and he turned around again, back to the contemplation of his shoes.

----------------

"I'm sorry guys, I was on time today, but I discovered a new species, and I had to record it" said jovially Kakashi

Usually Naruto and Sakura would shout at him that he was lying, and Sasuke's usually stoic face would have an expression of annoyance, that would quickly disappear. And with that a new day would start. But today nothing like that happened. Naruto and Sakura were close to each other, stealing some quick glances to the third member of the team, which was apparently very interested in the life of the ants because he was not raising his eyes. The silence was deafening.

"Oh, well. Be happy, while most other jounins are out from the Leaf on missions, I'm still with you. And we have a C mission."

Only that comment would have usually been enough to get yells of happiness from Naruto. But he didn't say a word. It was clear that something had happened while he was away. And it was probably still happening.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Kakashi announced

"Ok, everybody. Follow me, and we will get to the person that is giving us the mission."

--------------

"And that's it. My daughter ran away with that rat she calls her boyfriend. And not only that, but he stole a lot of money from me. I want my money and my daughter back. You are free to do whatever you want to that rat that convinced her to elope with him. But bring both my money and that whore back."

The person that was speaking was Sakui, considered one of the three richest people in the whole village of the Leaf. Still, nobody would think that looking at his old clothes.

"Don't worry about that Sakui-san. We will make sure to retrieve your daughter safely" Kakashi promised

"Don't forget the money" warned Sakui.

"How much money was stolen?" asked suddenly Sasuke

Sakui looked at him with an angry look. It didn't look as if he was going to answer.

"We may need that information" warned Kakashi

Sakui looked at Kakashi, and next back at Sasuke

"More than enough to buy all the Uchiha state, boy" he said "And I don't like the idea of having rookies doing the mission"

Naruto and Sakura jumped at those words, and looked at Sasuke with a careful look, but Sasuke just bowed politely to him.

"I'm a jounin; I'll make sure the mission gets done, Sakui-san" Kakashi assured. He turned to his students "Very well, boys and girl. Let's go."

None of them moved for a second. Then Sasuke started walking. Sakura followed after a brief hesitation. Naruto only after a few seconds.

Kakashi already knew that whatever was happening was related to Sasuke.

He wondered if that was the day he would have to kill his student.


	3. No Toast for me

**Chapter 3 No toast for me**

_To be calm during the mission? Are you saying that I have to be calm during this mission on the Leaf during the chuunin exam? Do you dare to imply that I'm ever not calm! I'm always calm during any mission! Now get out of my face, or I'll kill you!_

_Gaara of the Sand_

-----------------

The first thing to do was to find out where the target was. They went to her home, where she lived with her father. The mother had divorced her father and left the Leaf village seven years ago. Her current location was unknown. The girl's name was Cara. Seventeen years old. Her house was an old building in dire need of repairs.

Kakashi waited outside while Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura started searching for any clue inside.

Naruto and Sakura searched inside the room while Sasuke walked around the house. A few minutes later they met again.

"Look Sasuke; there are some discarded maps over here. They were hidden behind a desk." commented Sakura a few minutes later.

"Hai, hai. I was the one that found all those maps." Yelled Naruto "And we already know where she went..."

"They went to Hamu. A city in the North of Fire Country, quite close to the border with the Grass Country" interrupted Sasuke

Pause.

"How... how did you know?"

"Too easy. The girl's father is very avaricious, even if he is rich. You can easily see that looking around this old house. He doesn't love her very much either, and a proof of that is that he was more concerned about the money than about his own daughter. So the girl, even as the heiress of one of the biggest fortunes of the Leaf, has had very few luxuries and love in life. After she stole the money from her father, she found herself with more money than ever. She would then choose to elope to the most beautiful and fashionable place she could think of. The best place would be Hamu. It's a very popular place for honeymooners because of its romantic landscape and beautiful monuments. The map just confirms my suspicions. They are runaway amateurs"

Sakura looked at him with adoration in his eyes. Naruto looked at him with anger. Sasuke sighed. Those two had already apparently forgotten him losing control before. So they were back to annoying-mode. Not that it was so bad, anyway. They were all right. He would remember them gladly after he went to the Sound

--------------------

"You have done well guessing the girl is here. But this city is very big and the money can be spent very quickly." Kakashi warned "You better find her fast."

"And what are you going to do, sensei?"

"Me? Well..." Kakashi looked around and started walking to a bookshop "I guess I'll be around"

A collective groan came out from Team 7, and a series of thoughts about their sensei slacking off and being a pervert crossed everybody's mind.

"We will be dividing the work. I'll go to check all the hotels, and inns in the old part of the city. That's where they probably are. Naruto, you will check the new city, even if there are only a few hotels there" Sasuke explained.

"Sasuke, you bastard! You want all the glory for yourself! I want the old city by myself!"

"Ok, ok. You can have the old city." admitted Sasuke. "Sakura, you will go to the places honeymooners tend to go: Monuments, the Sakura's Trees Avenue, Main Street, the Tower of Love and stuff like that. We will be permanently in contact by radio. Good luck to all."

Sasuke started walking to the new part of the city, followed by Sakura's worried look. Behind them, Naruto used Kage Bushin, and some hundreds Narutos ran toward their objective.

Sasuke had a half-smile in his face. He was thinking about Naruto.

The good thing about him was that he was very predictable. He would never give up, he would never run away, even when common sense so recommended, he would let himself be ruled by emotions, he would try to act cool and he would always try to make him look bad. To trick him into the old part of the city was far too easy. That was a job that needed to be done, just in case, but it was probably worthless. It was true that there were many hotels in the old part of the city. The most expensive hotels were in the new city, and he was sure that the target was in one of those hotels. They had enough money for that. Considering the short time that had passed since the girl had ran out of her home and their arrival, and that shinobis were able to close long distances far faster than normal people, he was confident they still hadn't left the hotel.

Sasuke never noticed that there was somebody following him.

----------

Naruto stopped for a second. His clones had searched every single room in thirty inns already. In most of them they occupants had chased them down. Maybe there was an easier way of finding the girl without bothering everybody else?

Naruto thought for some seconds. He soon decided that his method was faster, and rushed the fastest he could to the nearest inn

----------

Sakura was mesmerized by the beauty of the place. Trees Avenue was easily the most romantic place she had seen in her whole life. A lot of couples were walking holding each other hand.

She wished he could be in place of any of them holding hands with Sasuke. He would look at her with his onyx eyes. He would move his face closer, and they would kiss a sweet, romantic kiss. He would say sweet words on his ear and... And who was she trying to kid? Sasuke was too busy with his absurd revenge to pay any attention to her. Still, hope was the last thing that should be lost. Maybe one day he would acknowledge her, maybe... but not likely.

Sakura concentrated again on his search.

---------

"This is the picture of the girl I'm looking for. Have you seen her before?" Sasuke interrogated looking carefully the face of the bellhop in the eleventh hotel he had checked.

The bellhop looked the picture with a bored expression in the face. The expression disappeared and was replaced with a surprised look, and afterwards with a cunning look. Finally, he returned the picture with an innocent look.

"Sorry, I don't know" he said with a smile.

"How much did they pay you to keep you silent?"

"Eh? I don't know what..."

"Whatever amount it was, I'll double it if you tell me where she is"

Again the cunning look. There was no doubt anymore.

Sasuke smiled. Finally a break! He had been getting restless with the mission. While he was wasting his time, his brother was getting stronger.

Sasuke looked around for five seconds. The lobby was full of people. If he caused a ruckus, there would be the possibility the target found out.

"You will pay me double? Could you show me the money first?"

So he would have to be fast.

Sasuke grabbed the writs of the bellhop and pushed it down on the desk. Then he put his own hand exactly on top of it. Finally he drove the kunai deep into the desk, almost touching their fingers.

The bellhop, that hadn't had time to protest, decided to shut up when he saw the kunai.

"My brother did this once in front of me. I thought he was really cool. He also warned me that I could lose one finger doing this" Sasuke said in a melodious voice.

"Wait, wait. What are you going to do?" The scared bellhop pleaded.

Sasuke used his own fingers to separate forcefully the fingers of the bellhop. Then he started hitting the space between the fingers with his kunai, leaving deep marks. At first he did it slowly. Then he started raising the speed, around all the fingers

"What are you doing?" screamed the bellhop.

"Waiting for you to tell me where the girl is" Sasuke said in a calm tone. He was moving so fast the kunai that even he had problems following it.

"Royal Suite! Royal Suite! They are in the Royal Suite!" screamed the bellhop over and over, afraid of losing his fingers

"I don't believe you" said Sasuke. He was not looking to the kunai anymore. He was staring to the eyes of the bellhop with Sharingan eyes.

"It's true! I swear! Kami-sama! I swear it's true! Please! For Kami-sama, _look_ at the knife!"

Sasuke stopped the kunai in mid-air, totally sure the information was valid.

The people in the lobby were staring at him. Two security guards were pointing at him, unsure how to proceed with a Leaf shinobi. A small Leaf shinobi, alright but nobody could ever know with those monsters.

The bellhop jumped back while Sasuke started walking to the stairs.

"You are crazy!" murmured the bellhop.

"Don't underestimate shinobis. When I was just ten years old I studied at the Academy all ways of interrogation. And I was always first in my class" Sasuke explained still walking to the stairs.

"What... what would you have done if I hadn't answered?" asked slowly the bellhop.

Sasuke turned around and looked at the bellhop with cold eyes

"The year after that, when I was eleven, we had Interrogation II. That's a euphemism, because what we learned was how to torture prisoners to take information from them. My classmates called it Torture Class."

Sasuke turned around and ran to the stairs. He didn't bother to turn around to see the expression of fear in the bellhop's eyes.

If he had, maybe he could have seen a person that had been following him all morning.

--------------

Sasuke knocked down the door, and was welcomed but a scream from a girl that resembled exactly the picture of the target, and an angry yell from a young man, probably the boyfriend.

"Motobuchi Cara? I'm a Leaf Shinobi. I have the orders to take you back to the Hidden Village of the Leaf" Sasuke explained with a monotonous voice, looking at the target and the other. The boyfriend was looking at him as if he knew him, maybe from the public show in the chuunin exam. The girl was just looking angry. Both of them were dressed. None of them armed. That was good. There was the possibility he would have to drag her by force.

"I don't want to go back there"

"What you want is not my concern. I have my orders."

There. He sounded like a nice village tool. That damn Hokage would be proud, and probably his parents would be too. Pity they were dead. Killed by their own son

"Are you going to let them take me away?" yelled the girl to his boyfriend.

And here he was, wasting time, doing stupid missions while the gap between him and his brother, the true Uchiha genius was getting wider.

"_You have talent, Sasuke. Keep up, and you will be like your brother, the Uchiha genius" His sensei had praised him after his first exam at the academy_

"I can't. He is a shinobi. I know that one. They call him the Uchiha genius."

And for the second time in a row, first time ever in his whole life, Sasuke exploded. He didn't mind when people called him a genius. But it was frustrating that knowing that no matter how many times they called him that, he wasn't. His brother was the true Uchiha Genius. It was really frustrating. But usually he would just shut up and concentrate on improving, usually.

Before he knew what he was doing, he was already doing seals. Sharingan eyes activated. He launched himself against the boyfriend, Chidori sparkling in his right arm.

He was aiming for the boy. But at the last moment he turned right, and the fully charged chidori hit the wall. It exploded for the impact.

"Arrggg" the boyfriend ran to the other end of the room. He was trembling, because that shinobi had hit the wall, almost touching his face. Quickly he made a run out of there, before he was killed.

Sasuke was panting, surprised. What the hell had been that? He had lost control again? What was wrong with him? If he hadn't moved the hand at the last second...

However, his conversation with himself was cut short when his shinobi senses told him there was somebody else in the room

"How do you do, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Doing fine" said Kakashi casually, looking at the place where a wall used to be "I don't like walls very much either. I prefer open spaces. I don't even like the colour of these walls. But maybe you went a little too far breaking them."

"It was just a strategy, scaring the girl enough that she will do exactly as I said." Sasuke answered pointing at the terrified girl. The boyfriend has already left the room "If I had wanted to kill him, he would already be dead. I pointed to the right."

"Well, maybe it was a little too close."

"As I said, it was strategy. What are you doing here, anyway? How did you arrive so fast?" Sasuke wondered changing topics

"I used the dogs to track them one hour ago. I was waiting here to see if any of you would find them" Kakashi observed.

The explanation made a lot of sense. Kakashi didn't have any reason to lie. Still, a gut feeling was telling Sasuke that something was wrong with that explanation.

"Well, please sensei; speak to her until Naruto and Sakura get here. She's too scared to escape now, anyway" Sasuke considered turning around... and finding himself staring face to face with Itachi.

Sasuke jumped backwards assuming a defence stance, eight shurikens already in his hands. Only after they were already flying, and Itachi had copied his movements exactly, did he notice that "Itachi" was just a mirror.

The glass shattered by the violent impact of the eight shurikens, all of them thrown with full force.

"You don't like mirrors very much either" said Kakashi behind him. "Or is this a strategy too?"

Sasuke didn't dare to turn around. For one second, he had been so sure...

"I didn't like the style of the mirror" and after saying that, Sasuke started walking outside the hotel, more convinced than ever that he had to leave the Leaf the sooner the better. When he arrived back to the Leaf, he would check if ANBU were still around. If they were, he would wait for the next day for the next mission. If they weren't, that very night he would leave.

------------------

Kakashi sighed. Sasuke was losing it. Meeting his brother again had broken not only his patience but his auto control. In normal circumstances, he would need time to put the mask of indifference he always wore. But Orochimaru's offer added an element of confusion to his student. Staying in the Leaf was like torture to him.

He had been following Sasuke, afraid that he would try to leave for the Sound that very day. He hadn't. But he could read him. His impatience was overwhelming. In one, two days at most, he would make his move.

Was there any hope for him?

----------------

"Ne, Sasuke-kun? Don't you think Hamu city was beautiful?" Asked Sakura

"Aa" answered Sasuke, looking carefully around the village. Almost no ANBU could be found. That was good. That very night he would leave.

"Maybe we could go one day... the two of us..."

"No." answered Sasuke, wondering when she would stop with her stalking. He couldn't think about any distractions. He had two lives to destroy: His and Itachi's

"Sasuke, you bastard. At least pay a little attention to Sakura" yelled Naruto. Sasuke barely paid him any attention.

The three of them were waiting outside the Hokage office, where Kakashi had gone to enter his report of the successful mission. Sasuke couldn't wait to go back home and start planning his escape.

"Well, this part of the mission is over" said Kakashi, who was leaving the office.

"Is there anything else?"

"Just a little thing. A party to celebrate the completion of the mission"

"The mission is done. I'm out of here" said immediately Sasuke

"Well, it's not a normal party. It's a goodbye party."

Sasuke stopped, and turned around, slowly. Behind him Naruto and Sakura were already asking questions.

"What happened? Who is leaving?"

"Are any of us going anywhere?"

"Tomorrow I'm having one more mission with you, guys. But the next day I'm going to have to start taking S-class missions. And there is always the possibility of getting killed during those missions. That's the reason I want a party all of us together. Just in case."

"Very well" Sasuke said, surprising everybody there. "We'll go to the party."

Sasuke knew he had made a mistake as soon as he saw Naruto's face of surprise and Sakura's of happiness. Acting weird the day before leaving was stupid. It was bound to make everybody suspicious. But at least... at least he wanted to say good-bye to them one last time, just that one last time. What was wrong with wanting one last happy memory of them together? Was that so selfish? He would act suspiciously, but before anybody could do anything about it, he would be out of the Leaf

-------------

"Sensei! I can't drink sake! I'm not old enough yet!" yelled Naruto.

Sasuke sighed. Kakashi was stupid. Apparently, he didn't want a normal party. He just wanted some drinking partners. What a nice goodbye party! They were all in a small bar, already cramped with many partygoers, and everybody was drinking heavily. The smell from the alcohol was already making him dizzy. Well, whatever. This was everything he deserved, anyway.

"I'd like to propose a toast" Sasuke announced looking at everybody at that table. Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi. All of them were important to him. The next day they would become enemies. The Leaf wouldn't allow his Uchiha blood to be lost. Hunter-nins would be after his head. But that was his fate and his decision. Everything was the way it had to be.

Everybody looked with uncertainty to him. Finally, one by one, they picked up their cups of sake.

"First one is for Naruto. He is an idiot. He is the dumbest and loudest shinobi in the whole Leaf village. He lacks the slightest common sense, and you have to spell out everything to him. He loves too much to act cool and to show off, usually getting things worse. He is also too stupid to understand any hints" he finished remembering Hinata

"Want to fight?" yelled Naruto.

"However" continued Sasuke "His spirit and determination are an example for all of us. He will never, ever, no matter what happens, give up. I fully believe that he will become one day Hokage, even if he is the worst in history. I think, even if it is for lack of competition, that he is my best friend."

After saying that, he drank the cup in one gulp. He felt like throwing up for a few seconds. He could feel everybody's stares on him. At his right, Naruto was trembling.

"Sasuke... Thank..."

"The next toast should be to Sakura." Sasuke said, and struggled for words to say. He had to remember that he was leaving the next day. At the very least he didn't want to shatter her heart too much by saying some nice things to her that very day. "Sakura. Thank you."

"Thank you? What for?"

"Just thank you, for everything." Sasuke explained, drinking the cup, and feeling even worse. He decided that he wasn't going to drink anymore. He had Kakashi to thank also, but he wasn't sure he could take it. Sakura and Naruto had finally drunk one cup.

"I... I propose a toast for Sasuke" muttered Sakura "Because..."

"_I propose a toast for Sasuke. He has just mastered Katon. Now he can wear the Uchiha symbol in his back with pride." His father had praised him. Everybody on the table, his father, his mother and his grandparents were there. Itachi was doing a secret mission."_

"No!" Sasuke yelled dominantly. Next he added with a softer voice "I have drunk too much already. I can't drink anymore. Besides, I don't like parties very much, and I hate people toasting for me"

He was feeling the alcohol getting to his head. He sat down, and felt the headache coming. That was perfect. He would excuse himself saying he wasn't feeling all right. The next morning, when he missed training, everybody would joke about him being drunk, and nobody would be concerned. He would have at least twenty-four hours for getting to the Sound, time enough to avoid pursuers. Then he would...

"Sasuke! You should be ashamed of yourself! Drinking with your age! You are just a failure!" said a severe voice near him. The whole bar was silent.

Sasuke turned around to yell at that voice, and found himself staring to Mangekyou Sharingan eyes.

"Itachi" He whispered said with an eight-year old voice "What are you doing here?"

"I'm drinking, because I'm old enough. But you are not. You are too young. If our parents saw you they would be ashamed"

"How would you know? You killed them!" Sasuke answered angrily looking back at his cup, and considering drinking another cup just to show his older brother how much he hated him.

Then he noticed something wrong.

"Hey, brother?"

"Aa" answered Itachi, drinking sake and not paying attention to him. Sasuke hated when people did that.

"You know, I'm supposed to kill you. What are you doing here?"

"You are supposed to kill me? That's ludicrous. Besides, you are drunk."

"I'm not drunk. I just drank two cups of sake"

"Then look around."

Sasuke did. Everybody in the bar had been killed. No wonder they were not speaking anymore. Although it was annoying that all the corpses looked the same that the corpses of his clan.

Kakashi was drinking, and he was showing his face. He could see now why he always wore his mask. The reason was that he was a vampire. His fangs were shining. Naruto was having a discussion with the four previous Hokages, although some of them were starting to smell bad. Finally, Sakura had grown some angel wings and was flying around.

"You see now. You are just having a dream."

Sasuke smiled the saddest smile, and turned around.

"That can't be, brother. I can't have a dream, because every time you appear, the dream becomes a nightmare."

Itachi smiled. He went near Kakashi and drove a stake deep into his heart. Then he went near Naruto and cut his neck with the same katana he had used to kill his family. Finally he used some arrows to kill Sakura.

Sasuke was trying to stop him, but heavy chains were holding him down.

"If you want to kill me, brother. Follow the Red brick road" Itachi said pointing to a brick road with the colour of blood.

"What's at the end of the road?"

"Hell, but I am too at the end of the road. The only way to kill me is going to hell and becoming a demon."

"I'll do it!" Sasuke promised, pushing, breaking all the chains that were holding him down. Blood, most of it his, was pouring from the broken chains "I'll become a demon! I'll become a monster, but I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

Just when all the chains were broken, a new one appeared. It was a precious chain, made of sakura blossoms. No matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't break it. Sasuke himself wasn't sure if he truly wanted to break it.

"Too late" Itachi observed.

The red brick road fell down, and Sasuke with it. He fell, and fell. Then there was only blackness.


	4. Don't awake

**Chapter 4 Don't awake.**

_Sorry Gai Sensei! I can't drink any sake! There is a lot of destruction around every time I wake up with a hangover! Not to mention the hospital ends up always full with people with broken limbs._

_Rock Lee_

Sasuke opened his eyes, and immediately shut them off when he stared right to the light. For a second he didn't know where he was, what was the time, and why his whole body felt so tired. He tried weakly to move the arms, but they were not responding.

While he struggled with the pain in his head and tried to awake completely, he recognized that he was at his house, at his own bed. However, the arms were still not responding. He raised the eyes, and he felt the day was starting in a really, really wrong way.

Both his arms were tied to the headboard with scarves, and the knots were very well done.

He was a shinobi, untying his arms was just child's play. But in the meantime he tried to remember what the hell had happened. And why he was tied. And why his neck was hurting like if somebody had tried to strangle him.

The last clear memory he had was toasting for Naruto and Sakura… having a dream, wrong, a nightmare, with Itachi as the main character, as always. Afterwards... darkness.

Of course, it was obvious what had happened. He had gotten drunk. The pain in his head was just the first hangover in his life. Damn it! How could he be so worthless! Getting drunk the same night he was planning to leave! What if... what if he had blabbed about his plans of running out of the Leaf?

Sasuke considered it carefully. No, if he had, he would be in a prison surrounded by ANBU, and getting ready for a one-way trip to the execution chamber. No, the answer was probably that he had gotten drunk, he had gotten violent, and Kakashi had been forced to tie him up for his own safety. That was a great way of saying good-bye to his team mates.

Still, he had to think about the future. His plans of running away that same night were cancelled. Now he had to think about a new plan.

He glanced at his clock in his desk. 6:48. Well, he still could run away, leaving a note in his door saying that he was going to train alone that day. Kakashi and the others would have a good laugh about the weak "Uchiha genius" getting so drunk, and being afraid of facing them.

Yeah, he could still make it. Actually, the plan was better. He would have at least forty-eight hours before the ANBU realized he had run out of the Leaf. If he went fast, he could be in the Sound before a search party was formed. The first priority was to find out if he had spelled something while drunk

Sasuke closed the eyes for a second and tried to remember. There was like a thick fog blocking his memories. However, no matter how drunk he was, he should still remember it...

_They were kissing. Sasuke was under her, with his hands tied to the headboard. While they made love, she was tightening more and more the cords around his head. Their hips were moving simultaneously. Their lips joined together while her pink hair fell around them..._

Sasuke opened violently his eyes. What the hell was that? Shit! He wasn't only wasting the little time he had left getting drunk, but having sick dreams. Shit!

A few second later, Sasuke had freed himself of the bonds and his hands went to his neck. There was something around his neck that was hurting him, probably another scarf. Probably Kakashi had gagged him to stop him from biting his tongue, and it had slipped off. He wasn't expecting to find a bra around his neck. Another disturbing development was that he was totally naked.

Sasuke closed his eyes for a second, but when he opened the bra was still in front of his eyes. He closed them for a second time, biting his lip, and when he opened them, the sharingan was activated. That damn bra wasn't disappearing and he was still naked. So, no gengetsu.

Sasuke breathed slowly. It didn't mean a thing. He was just stupid getting all flustered by that trick. What if he was naked? He had probably thrown up all dinner, lunch and half the breakfast on his clothes. That was the reason he was naked. The bra was another of Naruto's famous pranks. He should use Katon on his house before leaving. That was it and nothing else...

Only then, he noticed a sound like breathing other than his. There was somebody else in the room. Sasuke's eyes darted to the left, to the bed, next to him, where there was a bundle of blankets. He slowly, ever so slowly, peeked under them. And under them was the relaxed face of Sakura. Her pink hair was partly around his face.

Sasuke bit the lips to stop the yell of surprise and terror that was forming. He peeked again, this time a little longer, to see if she was still dressed. She was lying on her front, and after the fastest peek ever, he confirmed that she was completely naked. He thanked Kami-sama that she was laying on her front.

Sasuke tried to stop the fast beating his heart, while he tried desperately to understand what the hell was going on. He had gotten drunk, he had woken up tied to the bed, and he was having flashbacks of them having... having _that_ with Sakura. So the conclusion was...

"Sakura has taken advantage of me?" Sasuke asked aloud. Sakura stirred for a second. Sasuke froze, but luckily she didn't wake up yet.

Sasuke tried to calm his thoughts. She had never made a secret that she loved him. But that was... it was just too much. How could she...? She had actually raped him! What the heck... Was that for real? He tried to remember...

_Both of them were drunk and stumbling until they reached his house. Sasuke went first, and after three tries he opened the door. Then he looked at Sakura, which was waiting. Both of them smiled, and holding hands entered his house_

No. No way. He would never do that! He holding hands with Sakura? He risking getting involved with somebody, accepting the risk of losing that somebody? That was impossible. He had learned a long time ago about getting close to anybody. Still, if the confused images he was remembering were real...

No! He didn't have time to think about the past. He had to think about solutions. He had a naked Sakura in his home. Solutions? ... Well, he could search for the forbidden scrolls in the Hokage Office, to select a scroll about erasing memories and to use it on Sakura. He should also use it in Kakashi and Naruto, just in case. Then in the rest of the village for the same reason. Next he had to dress Sakura, take her to her home, and finally use it on himself...

That would maybe work.

Sakura at that very moment stirred. Sasuke froze, and prayed that she didn't awake. She didn't, but moved closer to Sasuke. And before Sasuke could do anything, she had hugged him.

Sasuke had to stop quite a few curses that wanted to get out. He was painfully aware that Sakura was hugging him, and that both of them were naked, but he was also afraid to move away from her, and waking her up.

He stayed like that for a few minutes, desperately thinking of a way out of his predicament. He looked around his room. Since he had started living alone, he had got the habit of extreme order, but his room was that day a complete mess.

His instincts warned him only one second too late. The alarm clock, one he usually turned off because nightmares were enough to wake him up started ringing soundly. That time nothing could stop a curse coming out from his mouth while he formulated a plan to shut that alarm clock that was on the bedside table on Sakura's side of the bed.

He risked it. He put his hand under Sakura's head, and used the common pillow as a projectile to hit the alarm clock. His aim was true and the alarm clock fell violently against the floor, finally stopping the noise.

For a moment there was silence, but he remembered Shinobi saying 87 "A shinobi must never let any openings in the plan, because if something can go bad, it will go bad. If something is already bad, it will only go worse", when Sakura started opening her eyes.

Sakura opened her eyes, and when she saw Sasuke, she smiled at him. Sasuke saw that smile, and before he could stop it, a thought appeared in his head.

He thought that she was beautiful.

Sakura stared at him, while the fogs of sleep disappeared from her eyes. Finally she opened them very wide.

"KYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" She screamed. Her scream almost threw Sasuke out of the bed.

"What are you..." he started to say. At that moment she went to the first drawer on the bedside table.

"Wait, I have the shurikens..." Sasuke again tried to say, but before he could complete the sentence, Sakura had grabbed three shurikens, and had thrown them at him. He stopped them using the blanket as a shield. The little blanket he had left, because Sakura was monopolizing most of it.

"Sakura! What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke asked while watching carefully other two shurikens that rested on her hand.

"Sasuke-kun!" said Sakura, and in that moment he saw that she was trembling "How could you? You raped me!"

"I raped you? It was you that got me drunk!"

"No! I'd never do that"

While busy on the discussion, Sakura hadn't noticed the blanket she was holding with one hand had slipped and was showing one of her shoulders. Sasuke blushed and quickly decided to get out of there. He got up from the bed

"KYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sakura yelled again. Sasuke remembered that he was naked, and that he was showing his bareback to her. Still, he decided that he was already past the point of feeling shy with her.

He stopped when he saw something thrown in the floor: A female medical team uniform. Her mother's old medical team uniform. What the hell was it doing...?

_Sakura was moving seductively with the team uniform. She was wearing nothing underneath. And slowly, slowly, she started to take it out..._

Sasuke hurried to the bathroom

----------------

Sasuke entered the bathroom and closed the door. He looked at a mirror, and wondered what the hell was going on? In which moment his broken but tidy life starting going crazy? He had decided to drink only two cups of sake, only two. Exactly, how had he gotten drunk? Sakura had gotten him drunk somehow? But why exactly would she do that, and how? Sasuke tried to watch through the fog of the memories...

_Sasuke drank because of tiredness. Sasuke drank because of regret. Sasuke drank because of frustration. Sakura drank because of fatigue. Sakura drank because of hopelessness. Sakura drank because of frustration. And every time they drank, the inhibitions gone, they looked more and more at each other, his growing darkness against her shining light. Opposites attract each other. It was a matter of time before they got closer..._

Sasuke blinked. Hell! Those flashbacks were really annoying. He still couldn't exactly say if they were true or not. Although according to the circumstances, they were probably true.

So he and Sakura had...? Did they really...?

He needed a shower, a cold one.

He looked at the bathroom. The curtain was cut in half. Sasuke looked at it with a look of utter confusion. Was there a fight? Or...

_Sakura was singing. She was singing while she took the shower. Sasuke was outside. He was thinking that she sang beautifully, but what he wanted was not the song but the singer. He used a kunai and cut the curtain that separated them in two parts. Then he stepped inside. She smiled and continued singing..._

Sasuke flinched when he got closer to the curtain. Well, maybe the both of them had... but he wasn't really willing, because he was drunk. Maybe she wasn't. How could he know?

Sasuke stepped in the shower, but then he felt a stinging pain in the back. He used the mirror, and looked at his back. There were small but deep cuts on his back. Apparently, somebody's fingernails had scratched his back. Who...?

Sasuke blushed when he understood how that happened. It was Sakura's, no doubt about it. She had reacted violently in the middle of...

No, he didn't want to think about it. At least not before the shower...

And in that moment he heard Sakura saying

"He raped me"

Then the world exploded

---------------------------------

Sakura's scream stopped when Sasuke entered in the bathroom. She was trembling. How could he do that? She loved him, and she was sure he felt something for her. But... how could he do that?

The blanket was still covering her. She looked around. That was Sasuke-kun's house? She had always wanted to go there, but not like that. Not like that. She started looking for her clothes, planning to get out of there. The first thing she saw was her clothes ripped. Had Sasuke...

_Sakura pushed Sasuke on the bed. She jumped on top of him, their lips hungrily looking for each other. Sakura started to take out her clothes, but Sasuke was too anxious. He ripped the clothes off her. Sakura didn't complain, she was too busy doing the same with his clothes._

Sakura blushed. No, no, she would never do that. Sasuke-kun would never do that to her either. That was a dream, a nightmare, an illusion.

However, if he wasn't dreaming, that meant that Sasuke-kun, that Sasuke-kun...

"He raped me" she realised.

Then the world exploded.

----------------------------

Sasuke used a towel as makeshift pants. He got out of the bathroom, angry for being called a rapist, and very ready to clear things up.

"KYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Sakura screamed for the third time. Sasuke was already wondering why the Sound had chosen him, when Sakura had a natural ability for sounds

Quickly, Sakura went to her bedside table. Still holding the blanket with one hand, she used the other to open the second drawer.

"Wait, I have my kunais..." started Sasuke

Before he could say another word, nine kunais flew at him with a deadly accuracy. He avoided them the best he could. He rushed to her, grabbing her hands

"Stop it! Damn it! "

"Sasuke-kun, why did you...?"

He cursed, took a really fast look at her nails, confirming his suspicions. He put her fingers right in front of her face

"Look at this" He ordered. He waited until he was sure that she had seen the flesh and red stains on her fingernails. He turned around "Now, take a look at this" He added turning around pointing at the marks at his back.

She stayed silent, while the facts started sinking in.

"Actually, if we look at the marks at my back, it would seem that it was YOU who raped me. I woke up tied up to the bed!"

Sasuke had barely finished when she ferociously slapped him.

"You idiot!" She screamed. "That was my first time!"

Sasuke stood still, for once totally silent.

Sakura couldn't hold it anymore, and started crying. She sat down and tried to stop the flow, but with both hands holding the blanket, she didn't have anything to stop or hide the tears.

Sasuke stood in front of her, without knowing what to do. One part, the smart, calculating part of him, was strongly recommending him to run away, immediately. In fact, he should get dressed and start running outside his house and the Leaf.

Another part of him, a part that he always tried not to listen, because that part he could not control, was telling him to stay

He almost always listened to the smart part of him. Only a few times he had listened to his heart, and it always brought him trouble. Like the time he took Hakus's needless, or the time he offered himself to die fighting against Gaara while Naruto got Sakura and ran away. As long as he wanted to kill his brother, listening to his heart was dangerous.

And yet, and yet...

Sakura's tears finally forced him down. If there was anything that he was weak against, that was the tears, especially Sakura's tears. Only her tears had stopped his cursed form, and he still believed that her tears had resuscitated him after the fight in the Wave Country.

He kneeled in front of her, and wondered what to say. He thought about blaming himself. He thought about saying that he would take responsibility. He thought about telling her that maybe, maybe, nothing really happened between them. Maybe they were too drunk, anyway. «Right, and maybe my brother will also come to apologize»

He looked at her, so vulnerable, so beautiful. Without saying a word, he slowly closed in on her. Sakura stopped crying, and looked at him, surprised that he was so close to her and still not backing away.

Slowly, delicately, they looked at each other, and got closer, even closer. They stopped for a second. Finally their lips melted into one. They broke away, surprised, both of them wondering what was happening. However, when they looked at each other, they wordlessly understood, and again they kissed.

Slowly, he pushed her against the bed. She was by then only holding the blanket with one hand, with the other she was stoutly embracing him. He was touching her shoulders, looking straight at her green eyes. He thought that they were beautiful. They were not red...

"_Do you want to know why you are weak? Your hate is not strong enough"_ a voice repeated in his head.

Sasuke almost jumped from the bed, away from Sakura. He stared at her. Her eyes were green, not red, but the memory had been too strong. For a moment, he had thought that _that man_ was there.

"Sakura, this is not a good idea" he mumbled, before racing to the bathroom, and locking the door behind him.

He breathed slowly, confused. What was going on with him… and with her? Was there anybody sane left? They had just... and still she wanted more of that? What the hell was HE thinking? Did they just... did they just... kiss? He and her? Both of them? When everything got so messed up?

He rushed to the shower and quickly put cold water. He sat down and rhythmically, while the frozen water fell on him, he hit the wall with his head, over, and over, and over.

And outside, he could hear Sakura crying. He wanted to go out to her, but he couldn't. He couldn't.

He had the feeling that somewhere, his brother was laughing, a cruel laugh.


	5. Regrets

**Chapter 5 Regrets**

_Me, Happy? Of course I'm happy. I'm a perfectly happy man. And do you want to know the reason why I'm so happy? No regrets. I have no regrets about anything I have done in my life. Not even one. I have done things that most people would feel regret, but I don't have the slightest regret._

_Yeah, Orochimaru was my best friend. Yeah, I got really pissed of when he left. So? It's not that I would cry for him. Why did I leave the Leaf to become a porno writer? Why not? It's a lot of fun. No, I didn't have any regrets because that asshole left the Leaf. We are better without him, really. Why do you insist on talking about him? That selfish idiot, if he had just... Bah! Whatever!_

_Jiraiya_

Sasuke stepped out of the bathroom, with the towel around his waist. He sighed. Sakura was still there. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were still red because of the tears. A sting of guilt hit him again.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun" she murmured. She was still in the bed, perfectly covered by the blankets, something that he was very glad. But she was also holding the ripped remains of her clothes, and that was something he was not glad at all.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. It was my entire fault" said Sasuke.

"It wasn't..."

"Hai, it was. I'm sorry. I should have known that my body is not used to alcohol, and it wouldn't tolerate too much. Because of me the situation is like this. I am sorry I have caused you pain." That's one of the many reasons that I have to leave you. I only know how to cause pain.

"Sasuke-kun..."

"Anything I can do to make up for it, I'll do it. I'm sorry."

Sakura stayed silent for a few seconds.

"My clothes are..." she didn't need to finish her sentence

"It's OK. You can use any of mine."

"But... if anybody sees me with your clothes... All of them have your clan symbol"

Sasuke understood.

"I'll go to your house, and I'll get some clothes. I'll make sure nobody sees me. I'm a shinobi, after all" he tried a smile, and failed miserably.

"Hai, please."

And there was some silence between them. Both of them tried to say something, but they failed.

"Do you know where I live?"

"Hai" he answered. Sakura opened her mouth to say something else, but she closed it.

Finally, Sasuke left the room, and Sakura felt more alone than ever before.

She wondered if he was going to be back.

-----------

Sasuke was not running as fast as he would like through the streets of the Leaf. He had to avoid the ANBU guards that were around.

He was surprised that there were still so many ANBU. According to his last information, with the number of dead and injured shinobi, the ANBU should be doing missions or gathering information about the Sound.

At least, that meant that the Four Sounds were not planning to kidnap him anytime soon. Even if they were stronger than him, they couldn't expect to take him down without a fight, one that would attract a lot of attention.

Still, they didn't need to do anything. Because after what happened, he was more decided than ever: He was leaving the Leaf. He was going to follow his one true path, and nothing would stop him. Not even her.

That kiss... that had been a mistake. He was feeling really unbalanced because everything that had happened. The alcohol was probably still in his system. Besides, he still had a headache, and...

His choice was done. The only choice he could make was leaving the Leaf for killing his brother.

------------

Sakura got up from the bed. Her underwear was not ripped, but the rest of her clothes were. She was still trembling, but she gathered enough bravery to search among Sasuke's clothes for something to wear, at least until she found something better.

She chose some shorts, but there was a problem with the t-shits: All of them had the Uchiha symbol embedded on them. Still, she would need to use one for the moment. At least Sasuke didn't have anybody living close to him. If anybody saw, they would think that they... and they would be right. They would be right! Kami-sama!

She felt reality sinking in, when she thought that it wouldn't matter what people would think if they saw her. The truth was worse.

She was confused. She already knew… she always had, that Sasuke hadn't raped her. He would never do that. He was incapable of hurting her. The problem was what had happened. They had done it. They had done it together, both of them. It was their first time, and they were too drunk to even remember it clearly.

If the concentrated hard enough, she could see it. She could see parts of it, of what they had done. The images were all very confusing, but at least something was clear. They had gotten drunk, and they had done _it_, in that room

She had secretly hoped that her first time would be with him, but she had also wanted that it were romantic. Not that mess.

She had to leave. She had to leave that room and clear her feelings. In a way it was funny. Half her life wishing to see what Sasuke's house was like, and as soon as she was inside, she wanted to get out.

She moved outside, and started looking for a room with other clothes, ones without the Uchiha Symbol. She found a kitchen, another bathroom, a small room... all of them were clean, tidy, spotless... and dead. Every time she looked at them, they looked like fake. As if somebody had built them, with everything that a normal house was supposed to have, but forgot something that was not in the manual, but all houses were supposed to have: Warmth. It appeared that nobody lived there. Everything was just too empty.

She entered a big room that had a matrimonial bed. However, everything else was missing. Clothes, personal items, paintings, pictures... and also, there was something wrong in that room. Like the air was heavy. Like there were a lot of unsolved feelings in that room... She had to leave immediately, because she couldn't breathe there. She didn't believe in ghosts, of course. She was a smart person. She didn't believe in dead things moving around but... it really felt like there were more people there. People that couldn't rest, or let other people rest.

The next room was worse. It was completely bare, and totally painted in black. When she entered, for a second she thought that she was not walking on earth anymore, but she had entered darkness itself. Somebody had painted that room with black paint, and that somebody had done a very methodical job. There wasn't a single place where there were anything but black: The darkest black. Also, there were a lot of feelings in that room, feelings as black as the walls.

She _had_ to get out of that room. No, she had to leave the whole house. Now, before it killed her.

She opened the door to the house, and stepped out. She noticed she had been holding her breath since she entered the black room.

The small garden where she stepped out was carefully treated. There were no weeds, and the grass was perfectly trimmed. But that was the first garden she had seen of that size that didn't have a single flower. It was like the rest of the house, organized and devoid of life.

She looked back at the house, Sasuke's house. And it was a house, not a home. She could see the difference now, between, a house and a home after staying inside. It was too big. It was just too big, and Sasuke was alone inside.

She looked back to the door, and slowly took two steps closer, next three farther. The garden's walls were very low. She could jump then without any trouble. Also, it was still very early in the morning. If she left now, she could be back in her home, and it was a home, before anybody else found out. Maybe if she was careful enough, nobody would see her.

She didn't want to. She couldn't leave Sasuke alone in that house, because it would swallow him. She couldn't put into words what would happen, but the best explanation would be that it would swallow him alive. She had felt pity, when she had found out about Sasuke's life, a long time after she claimed to be in love with Sasuke: Less than a week ago. But now was not only pity. She was afraid for him, and she couldn't lie to herself either. Even after all that had happened, she still loved him. Hai, even after everything that had happened, she still loved him.

Also, that kiss... That had been... She wasn't sure yet.

Sakura went back to the door of the house. She entered, and she closed the door behind her. A thought appeared, while closing the door. She thought that maybe she would never get out.

-------------------

Entering in Sakura's house was almost too easy. The lock in the door was opened in ten seconds. He used fifteen seconds to check for traps, and only when he was satisfied, he took a real look around the house.

It was a nice house. No, nice was not the word. It should be... warm.

That house made him feel like an intruder. The house was made for living people. It was not reformed to optimize production and minimize the waste of time. There were flowers in the living room. There were some apples in the kitchen. There was a newspaper lying on the floor. Anybody could see that there were people living there, not using a house as a temporary refuge, like he was.

Sasuke smiled sadly. In another lifetime, it would be nice to live in a home like that. A place you would wish to return to, at the end of the day, but he didn't have time to waste thinking about what could be or what couldn't be. He was an avenger, and he was getting his revenge, one way or another.

Sasuke entered Sakura's room. He was welcomed for a huge picture of the three of them: Sakura smiling in the picture, like she always was; he was looking annoyed in the photo; Naruto was looking angrily at him; and finally, above them, Kakashi, standing proudly over them. He also had a copy of that picture, a framed one. There was also another picture: A picture of the three of them with the headbands covering one of their eyes, like Kakashi. It had been Naruto's idea. Sakura had agreed, and he had reluctantly agreed too.

He got closer to her wardrobe and started picking the needed clothes. He was amused that he was feeling uncomfortable looking through girl clothes, when he and the girl that those clothes belonged to, had been busy the whole night doing something that should make him far more uncomfortable.

Sasuke sighed, put the clothes in a bag, and opened the door to get out of the room... and closed the door again. He took another look at the room… a long, careful look. A shinobi always had to continuously gather information. A typical example was noticing somebody was a fake because the real Naruto was right-handed. There was a piece of information that almost without realizing, he had noticed, analyzed, and stored, for future use the other day.

"_Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we…"_

"_Shut up Naruto! We are almost there!" Sakura yelled_

"_Kakashi-sensei, I don't like this mission. If the girl wants to run away, why do we have to bring her back?"_

"_Well, she's underage, after all"_

"_Man, this sucks. We don't even know if the girl is in Hamu. We should have searched more. Maybe she had a diary. Hey, I want to write a diary"_

_To that he actually raised an eyebrow_

"_Are you an idiot? What kind of shinobi has a diary?" He said_

Sakura had looked at him. _Hai!_ Sakura had looked at him with a half-angry, half-guilty look. That meant that Sakura had a diary, and if both getting drunk hadn't been an accident but a plan, it had to be there. Naruto and Kakashi would never do a prank to her that big, and they would never hurt her. So, if there was a plan to get him drunk, it had to be Sakura's.

And it should be there. All of them had gone back to their homes to get a shower before going out to drink, and she had been both excited and surprised by his acceptance of going with them. Sakura was not the type to act harshly, she would have planned it. Hai, if she had really gotten him drunk, there was a chance it would in her diary.

Sasuke started the search for the diary with a fast, methodical way. He was feeling ashamed that he couldn't be sure about Sakura. He had once trusted somebody completely though. Since the night of the Red Moon, he had promised himself that he would never trust anybody again. He was already breaking most of his the sacred rules around Sakura and Naruto, but at that moment he had to make sure.

The diary was well concealed in a hidden compartment inside a drawer. It took him a lot of work to find it. Sasuke looked to the last entry.

"This is great, this is great! I am going out with Sasuke-kun. This is awesome! Maybe he likes me! Maybe that's the reason he wanted to go out with us. Everything will be like before! No, even better than before!"

Sasuke sighed. Well, he didn't even suspect anymore that she had planned it. He should be happy, although that meant that everything was his fault. No more excuses.

Just for the sake of it, he took a look to the entry before that. It was the first sentence grabbed his attention

"Today I almost got killed. It was about Sasuke and Naruto again. The both of them are so alone, especially Sasuke. But instead of admitting it, they have to solve everything by hitting each other"

Sasuke was surprised by that paragraph. It was probably written after his fight with Naruto… and it was wrong. He wasn't alone. Well, he was, but the reason that he wanted to beat the shit out of Naruto wasn't because he felt alone. At least he didn't think that.

He looked at the next paragraph.

"I love Sasuke-kun so much. He is so alone. I want to be with him. I want to be with him forever. Today Lee-kun asked me why I loved Sasuke-kun so much when he is always giving me the cold shoulder"

Sasuke thought that he should beat Lee before leaving. Besides, he wanted to finish his fight. Then he wondered why was so angry with Lee, when what he had said was true. Next he wondered when he had started to care about what other people thought.

"He can't understand. When I am with him, I am happy. This is not just a childish crush. I really, really love him. All the hours I am with him, feel like the best hours in my life, the most fulfilling, the happiest... My heart beats whenever he is around"

Sasuke stopped reading. He closed his eyes for a second. He wanted to stop reading. He knew that what he was doing was wrong, because he wasn't looking for information anymore, but, but... The whole diary was probably full of supposed reasons that he loved him. He shouldn't feel so many emotions. But...

"I can see the pain he holds inside He has caged all the feelings he could have inside a wall. All he wants is to kill his brother, and for that he has put away his feelings. What he sees as weakness, inside those walls… but that is wrong. He won't find an answer to his pain that way. I want to break those walls"

Sasuke put down the diary. It was everything he could do to not throw it away. What did she know? What did she know, when she had a family that loved her? She probably didn't even have nightmares. When she didn't have dead people that were screaming at her, calling her a coward, what the hell did she know? When she didn't have a mass-murderer of a brother, her only family left, that she had to kill, WHAT THE HELL DID SHE KNOW?

"I still want to reach out to him. I want to tell him that it's all right. That everything will be all right. That he doesn't need to be afraid of being close to people. He is empty, but I want to fill him with myself. I can't avoid thinking about him when I am not with him. When I am with Sasuke, I can see that he cares for me. That he feels something for me, even if he will never admit it himself. The way he watches me with an expression or sadness when he thinks I am not looking at him..."

Sasuke stopped reading, for two reasons. The first one was that he was reading deep into Sakura's private thoughts, and he didn't want to. There was something called privacy. The second one was that for the first time in the last four years, he was feeling something in his eyes that wanted to get out. He was feeling a weird need to cry. Hearing Sakura's talking was one thing. He could just concentrate about his need to kill his brother, and think of her as annoying. However, now it was... it was... it was nic...

"SHIT!" He yelled aloud for the first time. He covered his mouth, cursing himself. That had been close. If he slipped again, he would start thinking dangerous thoughts, like how nice was the Leaf, how peaceful would be forgetting his revenge, or how much he appreciated everybody in Team 7. Yes, even that idiot.

He couldn't though. He had somebody he had to kill. There were many corpses that wanted to rest. There was a lot of pain that wanted to be forgotten, once the one that produced it was dead.

He put the diary back where it was, and started moving to the window, when he thought about something. At first, he was thinking that she was kind of silly having a diary. No kunoichi should have a diary. It was dangerous. Nobody in his family had a diary. A year after the death of all of them, he had gathered all their belongings and he had burned them, and he hadn't found a single diary.

Then, another thought, related to his last thoughts, appeared on his mind.

He stopped. He had been scared when in the fight against Zabuza. He had been very scared in the fight against Orochimaru. He had been terrified in the fight against his brother, although he had been numb because he hadn't been able to believe that his brother would hurt him.

But now, it was worse. Every single part of him wanted to scream in fear. He wanted to fight against ten Orochimarus and fifteen Zabuzas. Right now, even Itachi would be better than what he was thinking.

"Shit!" He said. This time he didn't even bother with covering his mouth.

He looked back to the drawer with the diary, but he was too afraid of touching it again.

He had to go back to his house, and soon, because according to the statistics about his bad luck, he was sure that one of the worst days in his life was getting even worse.

Far worse.


	6. The curse of bad luck

**Chapter 6: The curse of bad luck**

**-----------------**

_I am lucky. I am going to have another child, and with a little luck it will be a son, one that will be a proud descendant. I hope he will erase the shame of having a weakling like Hinata as the official successor of the clan._

_Hyuga Hiashi _

-----------

Sasuke entered his house and headed directly to his room, but Sakura wasn't there. He doubted that Sakura would be doing a tour around the house. She had probably risked it and headed back to her house. She probably even chose a different street so that they wouldn't meet.

If she told her parents, he would be in trouble. However he doubted she would. In a way, she was the only person that was loyal to him.

Then again, according to his original plan, after a few hours, every single person in the village would loathe him. They would try to kill the Uchiha traitor, and they would not be referring to his brother. Although considering how effective the ANBU and the hunter-nins had been while chasing his brother, he should be more careful with Orochimaru, his future master.

That was according to the original plan, but the original plan didn't include him getting drunk, and awakening with somebody else at his side.

He had to see Sakura. He had to speak with her, and pray that his fears were groundless.

He left the room and started leaving, when he heard noises that came from the kitchen. He got closer carefully. It should be Sakura, but being a careless shinobi would mean becoming a dead shinobi.

He stepped on the kitchen, and he saw something that he loved and hated with the same passion: The Uchiha symbol.

The Uchiha symbol, that meant everything to him, was on the back of somebody. That somebody turned around, and for a moment he thought it was Itachi. Next he thought it was his mother.

It was Sakura, wearing a white shirt with the Uchiha Symbol.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun. How are you?" She said with a weak but sincere smile. He noticed that she had her hair damp.

"Fine. You already took a shower?" It was a statement rather than a question.

"Hai."

They looked at each other for a second. Sasuke tried to approach the subject immediately.

"My family symbol looks great on you" He wondered where _that_ came from. Still, he had to admit that he Uchiha symbol looked great on her. Her pink hair highlighted clearly the colours of the symbol.

Sakura looked at him with an expression of pure surprise. She blushed.

"Thank you. I... I had nothing else and... I took one of your t-shirts. Is it ok?"

"Hn" He said, which in Sasuke-language could mean anything. From "I love it in you because it highlights your beautiful eyes" to "Take it off now or I'll kill you"

"Do you want some breakfast?"

"Aa" he said, and sat down. He was feeling slightly annoyed with himself. There was something he really needed to talk about, and he couldn't even mention it, and it was very important...

"I cleaned up your room" Sakura said shyly.

"Aa."

"I already started the washing machine" she continued.

"Thanks." He said quietly, feeling a little disturbed. He had never done those chores until his family died. Since then, one of the few things he took comfort was doing faultlessly that kind of little household tasks. He took some pride on taking care of the entire house, and now she was invading that personal space.

"Do you like milk?" asked Sakura

Sasuke sighed.

"Sakura. Do you see milk in the fridge?"

"Hai."

"Is it four years old?"

"Errr, no."

"So, since I am the only one living here, and I'm the only one that buys food here, I guess that I bought the milk, and that should also mean that I consume the milk since I have bought it." explained Sasuke. He intended to be a little hard.

"That's right. I know about your family. I'm sorry. I never… I mean in school…"

"Never mind that"

There was an unspoken rule in the Leaf: Never speak about personal tragedies. That rule was made to stop the alienation of the survivors from the wars. Thanks to that rule, nobody young should know about the massacre.

"I am sorry." He added not feeling sorry at all "I read your diary."

"You did?" She screamed. "Why would you do that?"

"I needed to be sure that what happened the other day wasn't planned" he explained. Well, finally things were moving as he planned. The conversation was going the right way.

"Idiot!" She said, turning around.

Again there was an awkward silence. Sasuke was feeling increasingly frustrated with himself. There was something of the utmost importance that he needed to talk with Sakura. Damn it!

"I am sorry. I know I shouldn't, but I wanted to make sure." Sasuke said trying to calm her.

Sakura was still facing away from him. Sasuke felt the words coming to his mouth.

"I once lost everything dear to me, and the one that caused me unhappiness was one person that I almost worshipped. That's why I am always afraid of trusting anybody. I am sorry." He said, wondering if he was really sorry, and admitting that he was. A little bit.

"Sasuke-kun... you have friends... companions..."

Sasuke moved his head, sadly. He couldn't trust them.

"You have me" she said, turning around, and looking at him.

He raised his eyes, and looked at her. She was holding a warm cup with milk in her hand. She was wearing an oversize white t-shirt, which had the Uchiha symbol. However, he wasn't paying attention to that. He was looking at her devotion. He was looking at the only person that would go with him, if he decided to break off the Leaf. She was offering him her life. Yet, he couldn't take that gift. He couldn't ruin her life.

"Thank you, Sakura." He calmly, but wholeheartedly said, and for a second forgot to talk to her about what had been bothering him for a long time already.

"Did you see the picture of the three Kakashis?" Sakura interrupted again his thoughts.

"The three...? You mean when the three of us had the headband on our eye? "This time Sasuke was kind of smiling

"Hai, it was a lot of fun."

"I guess."

Sakura sat down next to him and started drinking her cup.

Sasuke also drank his cup. Everything was kind of relaxing, for now. He used to like warm milk, but now he never warmed it because he considered a waste of time. But it tasted really good.

"I was in your house. It's really nice" Sasuke considered, trying to create a good atmosphere.

"Thank you Sasuke-kun. But yours is bigger than mine. It's sparkling. Do you clean everything for yourself?"

"Of course." He didn't intend to continue, but he thought that it was all right to have this conversation. It would relax her "I have a rigid timetable for cleaning, training and eating. It's the only way of doing things if you live alone and have very little free time."

Sakura was looking at him, and there was a spark of adoration in her eyes

"What?" He asked.

"You are so cool, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke looked around for a few seconds. He settled in a smile. Didn't he have to talk about something?

"Ne, I was just remembering what happened during our mission in Ice Country..."

The conversation dragged on. Sasuke felt that he was sinking in a state of dumbness. He wanted to keep talking with her, even if he knew he shouldn't, but he was feeling too calm. It was like being inside a spell. The warmth of the milk, the conversation around the lunch table, the smiles, the long chats... he had missed all that. He would give anything to keep the conversation forever. He would love to forget that his brother was out there with blood in his hands. He would love to forget that the Four Sound were out there, waiting for his decision. He couldn't though, just like he couldn't forget the main reason he was scared.

Very soon, those moments of peace would be gone, and he would be the one breaking them

---------------

Sakura smiled. She had been scared, but everything was all right. They had made a grave mistake, but they probably were not the first two friends to get drunk, and end up spending the night together. They were kind of young for that, but still, it had happened.

No use crying over spilled milk. The important thing was that the next day they were able to talk in friendly way to each other. They were behaving like two adults, understanding and forgiving each other.

In a way, it was serene, the both of them talking to each other. She still loved him, even after all that happened, and she still suspected that he felt something for her.

At least she was glad that Sasuke was smiling. He seemed more relaxed than ever. They should do this sometimes, not _that_ part, of course, but talking together, going somewhere together... She could ask him on a date. Even if he didn't want to go out as boyfriend and girlfriend, they could go out as friends.

Not only the two of them, but Naruto too. Both she and Naruto could help Sasuke to be happy. Maybe the three of them could stretch those moments of peace. That peaceful conversation...

" _Hey, Sakura, can I speak with you?"_

"_Sure...You said your name was... was... sorry, I don't remember your name"_

"_It's Tenten. Don't worry, it's not important. Many people tend to forget my name. I am nobody important, after all. Out of twenty-one ninjas that passed, the second chuunin exam, only six of them were kunoichi, and I was one of them. However, I am nobody important, just because I have those two freaks in my team that steal all the attention."_

"_I am sorry; I was knocked out during your match..."_

"_Oh! Don't be. After all, I'm just a kunoichi. Just because male shinobis tend to have more stamina than kunoichis, they usually get more attention..."_

"_Did you want to tell me anything?" Sakura finally asked, noticing Naruto wasn't the only one that hated lack of recognition._

"_I am sorry, I sometimes get angry... Sakura," she said, finally concentrating on the young kunoichi "I know it's not of my business, but you should stay away from that Sasuke_

"_What!"_

"_He is dangerous. When he was fighting those genins from the Sound, he used a seal. I don't know much about it, but it was dangerous. When you stopped him, for a second he diverted his killing intent on you. If the curse hadn't receded, you could have been killed."_

_Sakura just smiled._

"_Don't worry. He would never hurt me. I know him"_

"_Whatever. As I said, it's not of my business, just be careful."_

Sakura smiled when she remembered Tenten's warning. Well, he had hurt her, after all, and she was feeling very sore in her private parts, something that proved that those flashbacks were very genuine. Still, it was not his fault.

They would need some time, but they would get over it together. Everything would be all right. Hai, everything would be perfectly all right.

-------------

Sakura was speaking about Haku, when Sasuke finally interrupted.

"Ne, Sakura?" He said, replaying his next sentences over and over through his head. He had to do it, whether he liked it or not.

"Hai?"

"When did you have your first period?" He said half-blushing.

Sakura was surprised for a second, but she continued speaking because she thought he was just curious

"Well, it was when I was eleven. It's a little soon for girls, but my mother said it is because I developed very fast."

Sasuke felt his headache getting worse really fast.

"Is it very regular?" Second question of the day. He hoped the answer wouldn't be as bad as the first one.

"No, not at all. It's very irregular. I can stay three months without having my..." The words stopped coming.

Sasuke was looking right at her when she understood. First it was the eyes that opened wide, then the face, her features first with surprise, then with confusion, fear, horror. Then, the hands started sharing, finally, the rest of the body.

Sasuke asked quickly. He was sure that very soon she would be too terrified to answer.

"When was your last period?"

Sakura thought about it for a second. Then her eyes opened even more

"Sakura, when was your last period? Your last period?" He insisted.

"Two weeks ago" the words were almost too low. Sasuke barely heard them. He wished he hadn't. He wished he had left the Leaf when he had first decided it. He understood that he had been born under a bad star the day he decided to train for one more hour, the day of the night of the Red Moon. If he had arrived earlier, he could have been killed by his brother, and things would have been easier. From then on, his whole life: having Sakura in his team, catching Orochimaru's attention, and having the chuunin exam at the same time that the war against the Sand started were all part of that chain of bad luck. If he had left the Leaf, his bad star would not have affected anybody else. It was his fault. Now it was too late.

"Sasuke-kun?" She whispered "You mean I could be..."

He didn't answer. He wished he could be someone else, someone with better social skills. He wished he could lie. However, he couldn't. Unprotected sex at the worst possible time, and adding his usual bad luck made a deadly combination. Even as they spoke, he was sure that one of the two self-imposed missions he had said once "The resurrection of my clan and to kill one man" was on the way of being solved.

"Sasuke-kun..." she repeated. Her hand went to her stomach, while the cup fell to the floor. The sound of glass shattering didn't faze any of the two people, now suffering conflicting emotions. Sakura got up and ran away, straight to Sasuke´s room. A little time later Sasuke heard the door of his bathroom opening and closing... and again the sound of falling water.

The spell was broken, the moments of peace gone forever.

Sasuke wished again that she hadn't gotten involved with him. That had been a mistake from the very start. The worst part was that he had known it. He had known that for outsiders, getting involved with the Uchiha clan, once known as the strongest clan, later known as the tragic clan, was bad news. She hadn't listened. Now it was up to him to do what he had to do.

Sasuke used a broom to clean up the pieces. Then he started walking to the library, while he remembered what Sakura had said about the walls. He had thought about it too. Although his mental image had not only walls but huge ice walls around his soul. He too, had wished to break them, but eventually he had wised up. If people got close to him, he would feel sorry if he lost them. He didn't want pain. If people got close to him, he was allowing them a spot in his soul, and the betrayal was too painful. Sakura was right. He was afraid. He was afraid of people betraying him. He was afraid of pain. He was afraid of feeling alone again, after getting used to warmth.

He had reinforced those ice walls around him as a way of survival. He had thought he could have his soul dead but safe from pain inside the ice walls. He didn't need anything like love of friendship. His feelings had died. He was a rock, and rocks feel no pain.

However, now a person that he cared about was hurt, and it was his entire fault, as always. He was going to pay the price.

He entered the library and picked up a map of the Leaf, and three very specific books. He went to the bathroom door, sat down, and started reading them, while he waited for her to leave the bathroom. Sooner or later she would have to leave, and hopefully she would feel better, because the day wasn't finished yet

He suspected it was still going to be very, very long.


	7. To do what it has to be done

**Chapter 7: To do what it has to be done**

_Why did I kill the whole Uchiha clan? I just did what it had to be done._

_Why did I leave my foolish brother alive? Kisame, I don't like people that ask unnecessary questions. I don't mean anything by that. I just thought I'd let you know._

_Uchiha Itachi_

----

Sasuke closed the book as soon as Sakura got out of the bathroom. She had been almost an hour in the shower.

He got closer to her, and carefully put his hand on her shoulder. She didn't shrink away from the touch, as he was expecting her to do.

"I am sorry, I am really sorry." He said softly.

She appeared be in a state of numbness. He sighed, and, after some seconds of doubt, he hugged her. She sobbed softly, and hugged him too.

"It's OK, it's OK." He said.

Sasuke waited a few minutes until she calmed down.

"Feeling better?" He asked, trying desperately to be nice, and wondering if he was succeeding.

She nodded weakly.

"I brought you another cup of milk" Sasuke commented. He was already tired of talking. He had probably talked more in the last hour than in the last month, maybe the last year, but... "I am sorry, it has probably gotten cold."

"Thanks."

She drank it. Sasuke watched her silently. He used to hate silence when his house was a home and people lived there. Then he got used to it, basically because there wasn't anybody to talk to. He had gotten so used to it that he got to hate when people talked too much, like Naruto.

Now the silence was bothering him for the first time in years because of Sakura. She had a special ability to disturb him. She was really annoying.

"We should go. It's time to go training."

"Training?"

"Of course. We are already late. Naruto will probably be there, and maybe even Kakashi. They will think it's weird if we don't show up." Sasuke reasoned, avoiding the reason why he wanted to go with Naruto.

The two of them left the house. Sakura was walking really slowly. Sasuke, after the third time he had to stop to wait for her, no matter how slow he walked, decided to hold her hand.

In another time and place, she would have been literally jumping of joy, walking holding hands with Sasuke. Right now, she was just falling more in love with Sasuke than ever before.

Sasuke was not only thinking about the person he was pulling along. He was thinking about the people that were watching them. He had seen two shadows. He hadn't been able to see who they were, but since he had actually seen them, he assumed it was somebody that didn't really care about being spotted. That meant it was probably ANBU. He was more worried about the people that he couldn't see, but he knew they were still there. The four Sound.

----------------

A pair of binoculars was the only thing that allowed Kidoumaro to follow Sasuke and Sakura's departure from the Uchiha compound.

"Pssst. What a pair of shitheads. What the hell is that Sasuke doing?"

"You don't need to be so hard" Sakon considered "Sasuke is being really helpful to us. In case he refuses to come with us, we can use that girl as a hostage."

"Using a girl as a hostage? I don't like the sound of that." Jiroubou observed.

"Shut up, fat Ass!" Tayuya yelled. "We will skin the fucking bitch alive if it's needed to take that Sasuke to Orochimaru. Now shut the fuck up!"

----------------

They were still holding hands when they reached the bridge where they usually met. Nobody was there.

Sasuke assumed his usual position and Sakura hers, very close to Sasuke. Still, an observer could have said that there were some things that were different. Sakura was barely watching Sasuke. This time it was Sasuke that was constantly watching Sakura.

For Sasuke, the most distressing change was that Sakura hadn't smiled since she left the bathroom. It was not that he considered the smiles to be important. Although he had been smiling more since the creation of Team 7, he still considered them mostly unnecessary. Sakura and especially Naruto smiled far too much, in his opinion. Still, watching Sakura's smile welcoming every single morning, wasn't really unwanted, especially after the nightmares.

"Sakura, could you..." he couldn't say it

"Hmm?"

"Never mind." He was really useless. He couldn't even make her smile.

Sakura raised her eyes, and for a few minutes the both of them stared at each other. Sakura's eyes seemed to be asking a question. Sasuke's eyes had a strong determination but no answers.

"Hi guys." said a strong, happy voice.

Sakura and Sasuke almost jumped, like children being caught doing something naughty.

"So what? Are you guys like that?" Naruto asked raising the pinkie.

This time, Sakura and Sasuke stared at Naruto.

"Naruto? What are you speaking about?" Sasuke almost yelled

"It's useless to lie to me, I saw you the other day."

Sakura and Sasuke took a step back. Sakura covered her mouth with her hands. Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the shoulders.

"Naruto" He ordered apparently with a calm voice, looking at Naruto straight to the eyes "Tell me exactly what you saw. Please explain it to me carefully."

Naruto was surprised, but he answered.

"I saw you doing something gross while we were drinking."

"Gross?" Sasuke repeated.

"What did we do?" Sakura yelled.

"You really don't remember?"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's jacket, and he got so close he appeared to have the intention of kissing him

"Naruto" Sasuke said, his voice was starting to falter "What the _hell_ did we do?"

"You... you... kissed." He said, blushing.

There was a silence.

"We kissed?" asked Sasuke, feeling his heart beating again.

"Hai. Gross, isn't it?"

"What else?" Sakura asked holding her breath again.

"You kissed many times, and hugged and..."

"_And_?" This time from both Sasuke and Sakura

"That's all. I got a little drunk, and I don't remember much, but I don't remember you doing anything else" said Naruto, wondering what was wrong with his two precious teammates..

"Aa" Sasuke said, looking right into Naruto's eyes, searching for lies. There were none. One of the reasons he liked Naruto was that he was too stupid to be a real shinobi. He had the strength and the determination, but not the mental hardness. Also, he didn't know how to lie.

_The both of them were close to each other. Sakura was tired, and she leaned on Sasuke, who was more than happy with that, not that he was going to admit it. Naruto and Kakashi were having a drinking contest. They were speaking about something that wasn't important. What was important to them were the glances they cautiously took at each other._

_Eventually their conversation died down, and they got closer to each other, and..._

Sasuke and Sakura stared surprised at each other. Apparently the flashback had hit them simultaneously.

"Aa" Sasuke repeated. "What did Kakashi do?"

Naruto smirked.

"He got into a drinking contest with me. I think he lost."

"Aa" Sasuke answered. He wasn't really listening. He was making and changing plans related to his future at top speed.

Sasuke closed his eyes, and he did the same thing that he had done when deciding about leaving the Leaf: Concentrating first on the objective. Afterwards the only thing left was to choose the best way, no matter the difficulties.

Still, there was one thing that he was sure about: He should have left the Leaf when he had the chance.

"Sakura, Naruto" said Sasuke "I have to ask you something important: Do you trust me?"

Sasuke looked at them, and, after a few seconds of surprise for the question, both of them smiled.

"Sasuke-kun, of course we trust you" Sakura said.

"Yeah, even if you are a selfish, egotistical, arrogant, big headed, I-know-I-am-too-cool-for-words…

"I got it already" Sasuke dryly commented

"… Self-centered bastard, you are still a person we can trust"

Those words actually hurt Sasuke, because he knew he couldn't say the same. He could put some trust on them, that was required since they were his team-mates, but not the total trust they had on him. He also suspected that, for his revenge, he would have to betray them in the future. That was his original plan, anyway.

"Very well. Follow me, and follow my instructions without asking questions."

----------

The ANBU that were following Sasuke, watched as he talked to the other two genins. They were able to read his lips, but they got very little information.

The orders were to follow him, and it was a big surprise to them when they went straight to the Hokage office. That was a place surrounded by other ANBU, and they couldn't really get inside without creating trouble with the other squads.

They silently decided to wait outside. A few minutes later, with too little time for them to have done anything of importance, the three of them left the Hokage office and went to a Ramen Shop that the genin Naruto usually went to.

The ANBU followed closely, and they were surprised when they started eating exactly at the same speed and exactly with the same lack of manners.

"Izumi-san" One of them commented to his superior "I think we have been tricked."

"Agreed."

------------

Two people had left the Hokage office in the mean time. They seemed to be really old, moved like old people, acted and even spoke like old people. It wasn't until they had walked half an hour when they started running.

"Sasuke-kun" said Sakura, changing back "Why are we..."

"Sakura, I said no questions" Sasuke warned, changing back "You better change your vocal cords, too. You still sound as an old geezer."

"Sorry" said Sakura smiling and with her normal voice. Her smile was contagious and Sasuke was almost forced to smile back

Very soon they reached the Uchiha household. They entered and were soon in the dining room.

"Wait for me here. I'll be back."

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke turned around.

"Will you be back?"

Sasuke thought about it

"I promise you that if I ever leave the Leaf, I'll tell you first."

"Leave the Leaf?" Sakura wondered. Sasuke had already disappeared.

----------

Sasuke left his house. He walked with determination but a heavy hearth to a place he hadn't entered in four years: The Uchiha cemetery.

He entered it, walking to a grave. He was afraid of looking up. He was again a little boy, trying desperately to please his parents.

"Hi dad, mum. It's me. It has been a while, hasn't it? Four years ago I told you that I wouldn't be back until I had avenged you. But you see, your worthless son is breaking another of his useless promises."

He stopped in front of two shrines. He had been crying the last time he had been there, a lifetime ago, back when he was too weak to fight back.

"You see, I screwed up big time the other day. I ended up doing something terrible to somebody I care about, and I can only think on a way for solving this. I just thought I should let you know about it. Her name is Sakura. She is in our dining room right now. She is a nice girl; I bet you would like her. My brother would hate her, though. She is weak because she keeps trusting me over and over. Do you remember our dining room? Or maybe you are not listening to me anymore? Or maybe when you die there is nothing left? Doesn't matter, because next time I fight my brother, he will probably kill me, and I'll find out" Sasuke commented picking something from the shrines.

Sasuke put his hand on top of one of the shrines

"I'm not stupid, dad. You were not a good father. You concentrated only on the strongest of us, the brilliant successor of the clan. Only when he became too unpredictable you did start to pay to me. You wanted me to be as strong as him, just more manageable. Still, I loved you with all my heart. I'm going to avenge you. That's my promise."

He looked then to the shrine next to it.

"Mum, you were always a good mother. You took great care of us and you always showed us how much you loved us. I am sorry you had two sons who turned out to be such failures. I'll avenge you too. This I promise."

He watched the memorial that had been erected for all the Uchiha clan members killed in the wars. It had gotten too small because all the names of the members of the clan that had been killed by Itachi had been put there.

Sasuke put his hand on the memorial and started reading names. He started counting the names of all the people that he still remembered, and later the names of the people that he remembered not only the names, but important facts about them.

He sadly admitted that the numbers of both list were decreasing.

"Hi grandpa, hi grandma. How are you doing? You know, I don't remember much about you. What mark of tobacco did you like? How old were you? Did you complain about how my parents took care of me? I barely remember anything about you, and yet I am going to kill my brother, who I remember better than anybody else." He sighed. "I just wish he had killed me when he had the chance, back when I was truly happy. It's kind of tiring having to walk the path of revenge."

Sasuke walked to the end of the cemetery, and turned around.

"I am going repeat the promise I said so long ago. I am going to kill the one that killed all of you. One day, sooner or later, he will pay, and I don't mind losing my soul in the process. Not Sakura, not Naruto, not the Leaf, not even the Gods will stop me." He sighed "Due to the unforeseen circumstances you know about, I'll have to postpone my revenge for a while, maybe just a short while. Don't make a mistake, though, I'm not giving up. I'll never give up until one of us is dead. That's a lifetime promise."

-------------

Sakura was still waiting in the dining room when he arrived. He had thought to himself that he wouldn't be too dissatisfied if she had left. However, he had to admit that he was sort of happy that she was still there.

"Sakura..." started Sasuke, but he couldn't continue.

"Hai?"

Sasuke watched her, the only person that could make him stutter. He wished again that Itachi had killed him when he had the chance.

"Follow me" he finally asked

Sakura followed. Both of them left the Uchiha household and went on top of a building.

"Sakura, do you remember?" said Sasuke, turning back to her.

She smiled.

"On top of this building, we told Kakashi and the rest of the team our dreams" continued Sasuke "We swore we would give our all to make them reality."

"I know" Sakura remembered "Sasuke-kun, why are we here?"

"It's the best place I could think of" Sasuke commented holding her hand

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. She was sure that what she had been fearing since the chuunin exam was going to become reality: Sasuke was going to leave the Leaf in the search for power to destroy his brother.

"Sakura," Sasuke said still holding her hand and kneeling down "Do you want to marry me?"

Sakura stared at him mouth open. Suddenly her legs gave way, and she fell down.

Far away, Sakon, one of Orochimaru's strongest henchmen put down the binoculars and started to laugh.


	8. The choices we make

**Chapter 8: The Choices we make **

_Do we ever have a choice? Do we, as human beings, ever have a choice? Or maybe we are just bound? Bound, by duty, by the place we are born, by the colour of the skin, by our feelings, even for the blood that runs through our veins?_

_As a shinobi, by duty, I am bound to die for my village, if it's needed. As a member of my clan, I am bound to die for it, it if it's needed. As a son, I would have died for my father, if it was needed._

_So many good reasons to die, and yet, so few reasons to live._

_Hyuga Neji_

---------------------

For a few seconds, Sakura was unable to react. Everything was just too much for her. Less than twelve hours ago, Team 7 was going out together for the first time ever. Since that, she had gotten drunk, even if she didn't remember; she had woken up naked in strange bed in a strange house near a naked Sasuke; she had found out that they had made love together; he had told her that she was probably pregnant; and finally he was asking her to marry him.

How could all this happen to her?

"Sakura? Sakura? Are you feeling OK?"

Sakura noticed that Sasuke was looking at her; he had one hand under her back, and was raising her.

"I am sorry, maybe I was too sudden." He continued to say

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelled getting up hurriedly "Sasuke-kun!" She repeated. She couldn't continue. She didn't know what to say. Was she supposed to say yes, no, maybe?

"Sakura, do you want to marry me?" He said again.

"Sasuke-kun! What are you saying!"

"I'm asking you to marry me" he explained carefully

"But..." said Sakura, looking for the right words "Why?"

"It's not something I have decided on a whim" explained Sasuke "First at all, I believe that there is a high possibility that you are pregnant. However, as far as I know, the only way to confirm it at this early stage is if you miss your period or if you start feeling nausea. According to you, your period is very irregular. We could be three months without finding out. If we were to marry only when we were sure you are definitely pregnant, and our child were to be born too soon after the wedding, everybody would know we married only because you were pregnant. I don't want you to suffer the shame of being pregnant at your age without being married."

"Sasuke-kun, people are supposed to marry only if they are in love!"

Sasuke just shrugged.

"Arranged marriages are common on our time. Furthermore, I don't think I'm capable of love anymore."

There was something in the tone of his voice that made Sakura shiver. For a second she could feel his sadness and his resignation to his own lack of feelings.

"But... but..." Sakura wondered struggling for the words "what if I'm not pregnant?"

"Then you can divorce me whenever you want. You can say people that I convinced you and that you made grave mistake" He paused and continued "Actually, that's a good idea. You could say that I tricked you somehow, or that I lied to you. You can say whatever you want."

"Sasuke-kun! I am not going to say that about you!"

He just shrugged.

"Why not? It's just more dirt thrown into the Uchiha grave. The Uchiha clan is already dead and buried. Nobody is..."

"YOU ARE ALIVE!" She screamed.

Sakura saw Sasuke, who always struggled to act cool and careful, shuddering for a moment.

"We are getting lightly off topic. Do you want to marry me?" Sasuke insisted.

Sakura looked at him. What was she supposed to say?

"What if you fall in love with someone else?"

To that Sasuke just raised an eyebrow

"What if you regret it later?"

"I have never regretted anything I have done. I have only regrets about things I didn't do." Crying in front of his mirror. Why didn't you insist that Itachi went training with you? Why didn't you go back earlier? Why didn't you stay and fight?... Crying until there were no more tears left

"What if I say no?" Sakura continued.

"I'll just help you in every way you want if you are pregnant. If you are not... I'll..." «Leave the Leaf. Not that I can tell you» mentally thought Sasuke "I'll do whatever is needed to make up for my sins. What is your answer?"

"I... I... I don't know. Sasuke-kun, I don't know! I need more time!"

"Sure" Sasuke answered turning back and starting to walk. He paused. Sakura understood he was waiting for her.

"Where are we going?"

"To the Hokage's office. That's where we are meeting Naruto, and besides, we have to speak to the Hokage."

"What for?" Sakura demanded to know. Was he going to tell her about what they had done?

"She is the one that has the authority to marry us" He explained, as if it were obvious.

"You said I had more time!"

"Of course" Sasuke answered "You still have time until we get to the office and convince that woman."

Sakura was going to speak a little more, but Sasuke was already walking. She was feeling terrified. The day had started in a crazy way, now her whole life was spinning out of control, and the day wasn't finished yet.

-----------------

Sasuke sighed. Speaking was too tiring. He wished there could be some way people could communicate without words.

He wondered why she needed time. She already had all the facts, and it was a question of answering hai or no to a very simple question. It was not that he was asking her to love him or anything like that.

He was sure that he was doing the right thing: Asking her to marry him was the only thing he could do after the terrible thing he had done. Being drunk was not a valid excuse. If she wanted they could divorce the next day. She would still have an excuse if she were pregnant. For everything he cared, she could claim he had raped her. The Uchiha clan was dead. He was just the caretaker.

Also, he wanted Sakura to be with him for security purposes. He was not going to leave the Leaf for the moment. That much was for sure. Not when the next member from the Uchiha clan was maybe under way. Not when an unwilling person, Sakura, his friend, his companion, his... whatever, was going to be a mother. He had to be with her, as husband, friend, future father, partner in crime or whatever.

If she wasn't pregnant, he would leave immediately, but if she was, he had to stay with her, even if it meant to wait for accomplishing his revenge for a while.

Still, he couldn't really go to the Four Sound and tell them that he had decided not to go with them. The offer they had done had an implied threat: "Come with us, or we will take you there, anyway". Orochimaru was interested in him for his own sick purposes, and he was not going to take a "no" or a "go fuck yourself" for an answer.

By being mixed up with him, now she was involved in his personal business with the Sound. He couldn't even go ask for protection to the ANBU. Best case scenario, he would be put on probation, and his chances of escaping the Leaf would be almost impossible. Worst case scenario, he would be killed for treason, or attempted treason.

He had trained very often in his own home as precaution if Itachi were to be back to finish the massacre. He would have the field advantage fighting there, but four to one was a bad statistic.If even one of them was left alive, they could try to kidnap Sakura. Not much of a choice. He had to fight them and kill them.

For the time being, he hoped all the books he had read were going to be useful.

---------------

Naruto was in the Hokage office, feeling the need to cry. Sasuke, his friend, his rival, had beaten him in the thing that really counted.

Sasuke and Sakura. They were in love. He had noticed something amiss in the way Sasuke treated her. He actually spoke to her. In four years of school, Sasuke barely spoke to anybody else, except for him, and that was almost only to call him baka.

He had competed with Sasuke for Sakura's heart. She was in love with Sasuke, but he had always hoped she would eventually tire out of Sasuke's continuous refusals

He had failed. It was all Kakashi sensei's fault and that drinking contest. He couldn't even remember half of the night! How come he hadn't started screaming when Sasuke and Sakura started kissing? And how the hell had she managed to kiss him, anyway? They were together now. The way Sasuke looked at her. It used to be only Sakura, but now both of them were looking at each other...

He had lost... well, didn't matter. At least it was Sasuke. It was _worse_ that it was Sasuke, but at least Sakura really loved him. If he even dared to break her heart, he would _really_ beat him up.

The fight. Hai, they hadn't finished the fight. They had to finish it. He still wanted a fight with Naruto. They could finish it. Even if they didn't go all out, they could still fight. They had to fight. They would fight in the arena, and after the great future Hokage beat Sasuke they would go together to a Ramen Shop, and he would invite Sasuke. No, Sasuke would invite him. He was going to be the winner, after all.

He could invite Iruka-sensei, since Sasuke was paying. Speaking about Iruka-sensei, how was he with his new class? As the future Hokage, he could order Sasuke to invite all of Iruka sensei's class. Not only his new class. Sasuke could invite all the old students...

----------

"Naruto, we are here" Sasuke announced.

"Sasuke, don't forget you have to invite the old students!"

"Old students?"

"Of course. You lost the fight in the arena."

"Fight in the arena?"

"Don't try to run away from paying!"

"Hai, of course. To pay for the old students in the arena. How could I forget it?" Sasuke commented, frankly not paying any attention to him "Now follow us. We need one more witness."

"One more witness?"

Sasuke was already moving away, straight to the Hokage's private office.

Naruto tried asking Sakura what was going on, but she appeared to be so deep in thought that she didn't pay attention to him.

"We are here to see the Hokage" Sasuke announced to Shizune. He tried to remember some information about her. He just knew that she was Tsunade's trusted assistant, and that she had a lot of experience in the medical field. After years of being away with Tsunade, she had been appointed head of the medical staff.

"Sorry, you can't. She is in a very important meeting. Besides, you need a previous appointment."

"I can't wait. Orochimaru is planning to attack the Leaf. He is just five minutes away with an allied force of Sand, Stone, Mist and Cloud. If we wait anymore, we won't have time to react"

Shizune stared for a second as he said that.

"What...?"

"If we wait anymore the Leaf will be destroyed. Are you going to take responsibility for it and all the lives lost?"

"Eh..."

"Didn't think so" Sasuke got past her and entered the office. Sakura and Naruto quickly followed before Shizune could react. Sasuke closed the door after they entered.

"Shit, he tricked me" She angrily hissed, but it was too late.

The Hokage, supreme leader of the Leaf, one of the strongest shinobi villages in the world was snoring peacefully. Her face was dirty with the stains from a bottle of old wine that rested beside her.

"The old hag is sleeping late again!" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke walked beside the table, concentrating his killing intent on her. His kunai started to dance around his finger, and a few seconds later, he was moving it against Tsunade's face. Before Naruto and Sakura could react, the hand of Sasuke was stopped short by Tsunade's strong grip.

Tsunade jumped and looked with a half-sleep look to the three of them

"As expected from one of the three sannins" Sasuke coldly reasoned "Noticing my killing intent and reacting even in the middle of sleep."

"Uchiha" said Tsunade, and the hostility in her voice was not lost in Sasuke. He was a little surprised; he hadn't done anything to the Leaf that should bring that hostility. He had planned to leave the Leaf, all right, but he hadn't _done_ anything yet. It wasn't like they knew. He didn't have time, so he just stored the information for future use.

"I apologize for bothering you Hokage-sama," he said bowing down respectfully "I have a request."

"A request?" Tsunade asked, still half asleep.

"Could you marry Haruno Sakura and me?"

--------------

"What?" Naruto asked

"What?" Tsunade asked, pressing a hidden button.

Shizune, which was listening thanks to the hidden devices in the room, got up from her chair. That was the alarm that she had to do something. What could she do?

Wait! That Sakura girl usually came with a blonde girl to see that green freak, the student of that Gai freak. They were probably friends.

She had to go to find that girl. Her family had a flower shop somewhere.

Kakashi, their sensei, of course. He would stop them!

-----------------

"I said if you could marry Haruno Sakura, present here, and me" Sasuke explained carefully

"I already heard you!" Tsunade yelled "There is no way I'm marrying you!"

"Fair enough" Sasuke answered, and before anybody could comment on how fast he seemed to accept defeat, he turned to Naruto "Book II, Title X, Section 2, article 294 of our Civil Law codification says that in marriage cases if the Hokage for any reason is unable to conduct the marriage ceremony, it can be done by any private person. Naruto, do you mind marrying us?" Sasuke said thanking all the time he spent reading the marriage legislation his father had in his home. Countdown starting _3..._

"Me?"

"No fucking way!" Tsunade yelled at the same time "I am not going to allow it!"

«And 2.Not even 1 second? » He wondered.

Sasuke turned to her, with a fake surprised look

"Hokage-sama, forgive me for saying this, but you don't have the authority of forbidding people to marry. That enters the area of private life."

Tsunade was looking at him like he wanted to kill him, but she apparently calmed down.

---------------------

Ino was up early preparing the new flowers in the flower shop when a woman entered.

"Sorry, we are..."

"Are you a friend of Sakura!" the woman yelled. Ino remembered she was the woman who came to the Leaf with Tsunade

---------------

"Listen, Uchiha, you..."

"It's Uchiha Sasuke, Hokage-sama" he said.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you can't marry her. You are both underage. Both of you... she needs her parent permission..."

Sasuke just did something very uncharacteristic of him. He smiled widely. Both Naruto and Sakura almost jumped.

"Book II, Title X, Section 2, article 391, 1º paragraph of our Civil Law codification says that in marriage cases, underage marriage is allowed in case the parents agree, or that the head of one of the ten founder clans decides that it's necessary or an emergency."

"There is no way a head of any clan..." started Tsunade… she understood.

"Hokage-sama, there are two survivors of the Uchiha clan. Uchiha Itachi has been considered responsible for the murder of the whole Uchiha clan and has been stripped of his rights. No matter how worthless or undeserving, _I_ am the head of the Uchiha clan."

"But, but... this it's not an emergency" tried Tsunade.

"Book II, Title X, Section 2, article 391, 2º paragraph of our Civil Law codification allows the head of the clan to decide when it's necessary or an emergency."

"Damn it! I'm changing the law _now_!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Only the council of elders can change the laws, as you should know, Hokage-sama. Besides, as you should know, Hokage-sama, since the request has been made before any actual changes on the law, the new law would not affect this petition."

"But this is no way of performing a marriage ceremony..."

"Hokage-sama, that is just the traditional ceremony. The only thing that is really needed it's the free consent of both of us, and our signature with two witnesses."

"Don't you think you are a little _too_ young for marrying?"

"You don't have to worry about that, Hokage-sama" Sasuke had considered in the way all the possible difficulties the Hokage could come up with, and answers to all he could think of "I'm not going to touch her until she is eighteen. That is a promise, and I never break any promises."

"I don't care. I am not allowing her to marry you."

----------------------

Lee was walking to see Gai sensei when he saw Ino running. He appeared to be distressed, and Gai-sensei always reminded his students to always be nice to women. He should go and ask if he could help her

---------------------

Sasuke was starting to feel that something was weird. He had expected the opposition, but not the way it was going. There was something _wrong_, but he couldn't pinpoint what.

"Hokage-sama, what is exactly the problem?"

"It's obvious. You are a psycho. Are you actually going to forget your revenge? No, of course not. You are too obsessed with killing your brother. You are _crazy_."

"What I do about the S-class criminal Uchiha Itachi is my own business, Hokage-sama." He explained politely

"You would step over the corpses of all of us without even a glance if your brother was waiting for you!"

Sasuke, in that moment decided he had enough of being a polite guy.

"As a matter of fact, Hokage-sama, I have decided that instead of training for getting my revenge, I'm going to leave the Leaf and spend the next ten years crying for my loved ones and wasting my time. Ooops. Sorry, _somebody_ already beat me to it."

Tsunade slowly got up.

"Apparently your _parents_ never taught you any education, _brat_."

"There were two optional subjects at school: "_How to be an educated person_", and "_Learn the laws of your village_". I took the second. Which one did you take Hokage-_sama_?"

Tsunade grabbed Sasuke by the shirt.

"Listen, you damn brother-obsessed, red-eyed, baka, brat, old-fashioned f..."

"Old fashioned?" Sasuke repeated

"Eh? Hai, old-fashioned, fucker..."

"Wait. Please, let's go back on that. Why did you say old-fashioned?"

"Why did I say...? How the hell am I supposed to know?"

Sasuke stared at her. Why was he so distressed when she had called him old-fashioned?

"I insist. Please, why did you say old-fashioned?"

"Shit!" Tsunade yelled, producing a paper "Very well, you want a wedding; I'll give you a wedding!"

"Old hag! What are you saying!" yelled Naruto, who had been staying silent for one of the longest periods in his life.

Sasuke silently and quickly read the contents of the paper, and signed up. He stared for a few seconds to his own handwriting. He hated it. His parents had taught him to write, but the one that he always relied on to learn to write was his brother. The handwriting of the older of the two brothers was, like everything else, perfect: Elegant, comprehensible, and pleasing to the eye. His own handwriting, like everything else in his life, was just a weak shadow of his older brother.

Sasuke turned around, gave the paper, not the pen, to Sakura and walked to the window.

"Sakura, now you have to make a choice. Yes or no." He turned to Tsunade and Naruto "If you want to convince Sakura, you better use the chance."

As he listened to both Naruto and Tsunade speaking at the same time, he was feeling satisfied. He was forcing her to make a choice, all right but he wasn't going to force the choice he wanted. It was all up to her now.

-------------------------

"Hi boys, I'm sorry I'm late. I got abducted by aliens and they made experiments on me." Kakashi said, but to his surprise nobody was in the bridge.

He sat down, and waited, wondering what could be happening, when an eagle got closer to him.

He read the paper, and less than one second later he was running top speed to the Hokage office.

--------------------------

"Shit! I can't wait anymore for that fucker. Let's go, we are going to force him to make a choice. Not that it matters, anyway, because he is coming with us, whether he likes it or not" Tayuya decided walking towards the Leaf.

-----------

Sakura looked at the paper, then at Naruto and Tsunade, and finally at Sasuke, who was looking exactly the opposite direction. The meaning was clear. It was her own decision.

She looked again at the paper. What could she do?

In the meantime, three people were running to stop that wedding.


	9. Fighting for her heart

**Chapter 9: A new life.**

"_I don't give up. That's my ninja way"_

_Uzumaki Naruto_

"_I don't give up. That's my ninja way"_

_Orochimaru_

"_I will never give up"_

_Uchiha Sasuke_

* * *

Sakura watched Sasuke, which apparently was still considering the mysteries of life that one could see if you stared at a wall. Sakura thought that he appeared lonely.

"Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan, are you really going to marry?" whimpered Naruto.

"Listen Sakura, you can't marry him. Please listen to reason." yelled Tsunade.

Sakura wasn't listening to them. She was remembering the place where Sasuke had asked her to marry him. He had said that it was the place where they told each other their dreams. In Sasuke's case, it was his mission, more than his dream. Still, he had made a mistake. Not all of them had told each other their dreams.

She hadn't. She had meant to say that she wanted to marry Sasuke and be happy with him forever after. She had been too ashamed to say it, but that was her dream.

What had she done to made that dream reality? Nothing, except bothering continuously Sasuke when he obviously didn't want to be bothered. She had even said that Naruto was lucky for not having parents to yell at him, without knowing that Sasuke was an orphan too.

She was tired of watching their backs. She was tired of watching them to struggle so hard for their dreams when she wasn't doing anything. She was tired of being amazed by their determination.

This time, she was going to fight for her dreams.

Sakura picked the pen, and started signing her name, when a hand stopped her. Sasuke's

"Sakura, are you completely sure?"

"Hai" she said fearlessly.

"Sakura, you know I have a mission that I have to do. A duty I don't think I will survive. Even if we are married, I will not stop. Do you still want to marry me?"

"Hai"

"Do you promise not to stop me in that duty, even if we are married?"

"Hai. In exchange, there is something I have to ask you too"

"What is it?"

"You have to try to be happy"

Sasuke was taken aback

"I don't know if I can do that"

"You just have to try."

For a few seconds Sasuke didn't say anything. He finally nodded

"All right. I can try, I guess. I can't promise I'll succeed, but I promise I'll try."

Sakura smiled, and before Naruto or Tsunade could react she had signed the document.

Sasuke without a single expression in his face took the document and showed it to Naruto.

"Naruto, could you sign this?"

Naruto for a long minute stood there, watching first the document, then Sasuke and Sakura. He stepped and grabbed Sasuke by the collar.

"Sasuke, do you really love Sakura?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto. Then he looked up, and appeared to be in deep thought for a few seconds.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Baka. It means I don't know. I don't know if I'm capable of love anymore. I feel something for Sakura, but I don't know if it's just team-mate trust, love or just a feeling of friendship. I wish I knew. I know I would sacrifice my life for her, but I'd do the same for you. I also know that I would always choose my dream over the both of you."

Naruto stood silent for a long time. He looked up to him again.

"Can you promise that you will make her happy?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto with an expression of annoyance

"Are you an idiot? I can't promise that. Nobody can do that. Happiness is just a fleeting thing that can be destroyed anytime. No matter how safe the foundation of happiness seems, it may be destroyed by the storm without warning any second." For a second, just for a second, all his defences lifted, and both Sakura and Naruto saw what was inside the deepest parts of his heart, through all his facades they saw the bitterness, fear and specially all the deep loneliness that was there.

Naruto, which was still holding him, saw everything, and he, who was never one to hide his emotions, showed in his face his feelings of hurt for the pain of his friend

Sakura looked at them, and even if she didn't know it then, in the times to come, both good and bad, when thinking about times past, she would remember them like that: Naruto, loud-mouthed, hyperactive, sensitive, holding Sasuke by the collar and the expression of pain and friendship in his face. Sasuke, smart, brilliant, cold exterior and frozen interior, showing for a few moments all the pain that he stored inside afraid of letting it out.

"At least promise me you will try to make her happy."

"Hai, I promise you that I will try, although I don't think I'll succeed" Sasuke promised with all the sincerity he could muster.

Naruto dropped Sasuke, and quickly wrote down his name on the document. Then he stared at Sasuke while he put the document in front of him. Sasuke grabbed the document, but Naruto didn't let it go. Instead he looked at Sasuke straight to the face. For a few seconds, Naruto and Sasuke locked glances, then Sasuke nodded, and Naruto let the document.

"Hokage-sama" said Sasuke respectfully, giving her the document. He looked at Sakura.

He walked until he stood in front of her, then he kneeled down in front of Sakura.

"Sakura, I cried when my family died until there were no more tears. A year later I took almost all the personal objects that reminded me of my family, and I burned them down. I also promised that I would never return to my family mausoleum until their killer was eliminated." He paused "Today I broke that promise to get something from my parent's grave. I'll understand if you don't want it, but please accept this" He asked, gently taking her hand and putting put a ring in her finger.

She smiled and blushed.

As in cue, a small wind went through the window. It was like a painting: Sasuke like a knight in black, kneeling in front of Sakura with the wind blowing her hair. Indeed, it was like a painting, or that was what a worried Tsunade thought.

* * *

Tsunade watched the three young students of Kakashi walk to the exit. To order the first assassination mission had been hard. Sending shinobis to a suicide mission just for a decoy, so that the main mission would succeed had been hard. Still, that morning was going fast on becoming the first mayor crisis since she had been appointed Hokage

"Where do you think you are going?" She asked "I still haven't signed the document, and I'm not planning to."

Sasuke turned around

"So? Your signature is not needed, Hokage-sama."

"What? You said that two witnesses were necessary..."

"Hai, I said that" smiled Sasuke "I lied. I thought I could take one person to sign more easily if I said that two witnesses were required."

Tsunade stared for a few seconds to Sasuke, shrewd tactician, without a doubt worthy successor of the nickname "Uchiha genius". She thought of a way of solving the problem.

"Sasuke, can I talk to you for a second alone?"

"Aa" Sasuke agreed waiting for Naruto and Sakura to leave the room.

After they left, Tsunade looked carefully at Sasuke. She had to convince him to stop the madness, but he wasn't the type to back down.

"Sasuke, do you love Sakura?"

"I have already answered that question, Hokage-sama"

"If you marry her, you are binding your life to hers for good or bad. If she is your important person, you will even forsake your dream for her. Would you do it? What would you choose between your revenge and her?"

Sasuke just shrugged.

"I'll make the choice when the time comes" he said

Tsunade shuddered

"_Your dream is too perilous Oro" they had stopped their training and were resting under a tree. Jiraiya was probably being a pervert somewhere._

"_Come on, Tsunade. Give me a break. I want to change the world and make it a better place. What's wrong with that? When I become Hokage, I will try the hardest to make my dream reality."_

_Tsunade sighed. Would Orochimaru ever shut up about becoming Hokage and about his main dream?_

"_It is an immense dream, Oro, but I don't know..."_

"_I will never give up, Tsunade. That's my ninja way."_

_Tsunade smiled. That unbending determination was one of the things she admired about her team-mate._

"_What would you do if you had to choose between everything you have, everything precious to you, and your dream?"_

_Orochimaru just shrugged_

"_I'll make the choice when the time comes" he said._

_Just two good team-mates training and discussing about the future. None of them imagined that many years later they would fight to death._

"You are just like Orochimaru, Sasuke"

Sasuke made a grimace

"Please, don't compare me with that loser. He wasn't appointed Hokage, and he got so angry that he took revenge on the Third? My reasons are a little bit deeper."

Tsunade put her hands together.

"He wasn't like that. He had a dream, a dream so bright that it blinded him to everything but that vision. At the end, he made the choices he though that were right, and that drove him where he is now."

Sasuke stood silent for a second. He turned around

"If he is happy the way he is now, then I guess everything is fine. When he is killed, he will be killed in the pursuit of his dream. There are worse ways of dying" Sasuke said walking to the exit.

"There are also better ways of living."

Sasuke smiled.

"Save that for people that are still alive. I am already dead. I didn't start this fight, but I'll finish it somehow" He left the room, leaving a worried Hokage behind.

"Are you going to start the original Uchiha Tragedy again, Sasuke-kun?" She asked to herself.

* * *

Naruto and Sakura were waiting for Sasuke, and they both smiled at him.

Sasuke smiled, surprising even himself, and started to think about his next move: The Four Sound.

"Sakura? What happened?" asked suddenly a voice. Ino's

Sasuke was surprised with her sudden appearance. Then he thought it was probably Tsunade's doing. The old bitch had probably called her somehow to stop the wedding. It was probably too late, but maybe Sakura was going to change her mind. He should better explain things first.

"Hi..."

"Hi, Ino-pig" yelled Sakura grabbing Sasuke's ring finger, and almost ripping it off

"Hey!" He complained.

"Sakura! What are you doing with _my_ Sasuke-kun?"

"You lost Ino-pig! Take a look at this!" she said showing their rings.

Ino stared surprised at the rings

"Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun! What has she done to you? She seduced you! I'll rescue you Sasuke-kun!" She said running to them

Sakura intercepted Ino.

"Admit it, Ino! You lost!" Sakura yelled

"You big ugly forehead! You used gensutsu on Sasuke-kun! I am sure of that!"

Sakura laughed a pure evil laugh.

Naruto and Sasuke looked with a surprised expression at the sudden change of behaviour of Sakura.

"I guess some people take their rivalries a little too far." Naruto commented.

"She married me because she loved me, right? It wasn't because she wanted to beat Ino, right?" asked Sasuke

Their conversation was cut short by a green shadow that lunged at them. Still, Sasuke had trained like hell in speed for the chuunin exam, and he was able to block that kick

"Who?"

"The Leaf's proud Azure beast has reincarnated!" said Rock Lee adopting a battle pose.

Sasuke breathed a long sigh

"What do you want Lee?"

"I just heard that you tricked Sakura into marrying you!" An exalted Lee yelled. "I am here to save her from you, evil shinobi."

Sasuke closed his eyes, counted mentally until ten, and opened again.

"I didn't trick anybody Lee. She made her own choice."

"Uchiha Sasuke, are you strong enough to protect her? I don't think you can. Your battle records are not that impressive. So, I challenge you to a fight. If you want to marry her, you will have to defeat me."

Sasuke closed his eyes.

"So, you think the only thing that matters is strength? You are like Itachi," He opened the eyes, red eyes that were sizing up Lee "That pisses me off."

Lee ran to him and attempted a kick with the right from high up, followed by a double kick with the left to the lower abdomen. Sasuke blocked both Lee's legs and punched his opponent deep in the stomach before Lee could even blink

"You better drop your weights. They make you too slow, and I'm not the same slow-moving shinobi you fought before." warned Sasuke

"That's right! Gai-sensei told me I could only drop them when I was protecting a precious person!" Lee agreed dropping the very heavy weights he always carried around "Since it is like that, I'll use my most dangerous technique."

Sasuke smiled, while his normal eyes appeared again

"Bring it on."

Lee disappeared from sight, running at full speed around Sasuke that still didn't move.

"I'm waiting for that oh so powerful technique" Sasuke warned, crossing his arms.

Lee didn't answer with words, instead kicking Sasuke and throwing him to the air.

_Fast_, Sasuke thought, just before Lee used Shadow Leaf Dance on him, moving as if attached to his shadow.

"This is where we were interrupted" warned Sasuke.

"Initial Lotus!" yelled Lee

In that moment, the bandages around his body trapped Sasuke, and both their bodies fell at a very high speed to the ground with Lee jumping away at the very last second

"Sasuke!" Yelled Sakura running to him, but Sasuke got up with a groan of pain before she could reach him.

He was still smiling, even as he spat some blood.

"So that was the final part of the Initial Lotus. Impressive indeed, but I'll stick to my Lion Rendan, not the watered down Naruto Rendan."

"But... how... you should be..."

"Your initial Lotus is definitely deadly, but it has just a weak point. If you concentrate all the chakra in the exact point that is plunging down and make it explode at the very last second, you can reduce the amount of damage "Sasuke explained getting up "Since it puts a lot of strain on your fiver muscles in the user, it is too much a double edged sword." He added watching Lee's expression of pain

Everybody, the two combatants and all the other witnesses, stayed silent for a few seconds, while Sasuke and Lee panted

"Why? Why didn't you use the Sharingan? Why did you let me hit you? Are you underestimating me?"

"No, no really. I wanted to continue our last fight where it was interrupted. I also wanted to fight you in a fair fight. There is no way you can use extreme lotus after getting out of the hospital so soon. So in exchange I won't use my most powerful technique. Is that acceptable?"

Lee smiled.

"Let's go all out. Let's fight for Sakura's heart!"

"I don't want you fighting for my heart!" Screamed Sakura, but Lee and Sasuke were already running using advanced taijutsu, hitting and retreating, almost at the same time.

After a series of high-speed combos, both of them retreated for recuperating.

"You are fast, Sasuke-kun"

"You are too. Our speeds are basically the same, although I think you are a little faster than me. However, there is no way you can beat me."

"What you just said doesn't make any sense!"

"You want to see it? Attack me."

Lee exploded, attacking even faster than before. Sasuke barely blocked. Lee started a deadly combination of fast punches and kicks, and for a second he appeared to be in control, until Sasuke punched him just before the final high kick.

"How?"

"You are just trying to beat me thorough fast taijutsu, but our speed are basically the same, so the best way to beat me would be to read my movements and anticipating them. Sadly, your main strength is your worst weakness. You have never needed to do that because you concentrated so much on speed. Sadly for you, anticipating attacks is my specialty."

"No! My spirit will not be defeated!" Lee said running straight to him.

Sasuke barely blocked a complicated combination of combos, and only after a full minute, he managed to get a direct hit on Lee. However, after that, Sasuke was the one moving and attacking, and making direct hits in most of them.

Lee fell down, and Sasuke had to stop to recover some energy. Lee got up again.

"I will never give up. For love and justice I'll never give up."

Sasuke sighed again. He didn't have time for this bullshit. Fighting the king of freaks in the land of the freaks was a waste of time right now when he had to plan his next move. Lee still had more endurance that he had. He had to think of a plan to beat him. He had to think about all the info he had on Gai's favourite student.

"Lee, why don't we make a bet, a bet for the love of Sakura?"

"A bet?"

Sasuke grabbed five rocks from the ground

"I am throwing these rocks to the air. If you are fast enough you will catch them. If even one of them touches the ground, you fail and you will leave us alone for the day."

"So, if only one touches the ground I'll renounce to the love of Sakura for the day. Let's fight for my love!" He yelled

Sasuke smiled and threw the rocks. Lee watched them, and got ready to jump, but in that moment, with his guard lowered, Sasuke attacked with a quick kick to the leg, followed by a five strong punches to the stomach, and finished with a direct strike to the face.

Lee fell down, and Sasuke was in a second on top of him holding a kunai pointed straight to his neck.

The five rocks fell down to the floor.

"You... you cheater. "complained Lee

" Cheating means nothing in a real fight. You are on the ground with a knife pointed to your neck and the five rocks are in the ground. Most people would say you lost."

Lee was silent for a second. He stared at his adversary. Sasuke suddenly started feeling very uncomfortable. Lee was watching him with exactly the same eyes that Sakura or Ino. He quickly got up and backed away.

"Sasuke-kun, you..." Lee said getting up. His eyes still fixed on him

"Lee, stop looking at me like that" warned Sasuke feeling the need to escape.

"Sasuke-kun, you are my..."

Sasuke looked left and right, making sure he had an escape route.

"Sasuke-kun, you are my eternal rival." said Lee with a dreamy voice.

"EH!"

"You beat me, Sasuke-kun; your strategy surpassed mine this time. I understand: The same way my sensei and yours are eternal rivals, you are destined to be my eternal rival. We will fight again" said Lee running away. Sasuke was feeling kind of very scared. Then he thought for a second, and started to laugh

"Sasuke-kun?" asked Sakura worried

"It's OK Sakura. I suddenly thought about a great idea. I find this weirdo really interesting. He always inspires me."

"What do you mean? _I'm_ your rival" yelled Naruto

Sasuke was not paying attention to him. He was watching the top of a building, where somebody was emitting a powerful intent to kill directed to him. He recognized him immediately.

"Sakura, Naruto, please meet me in my house."

"I'm getting tired of you bossing us around!" yelled Naruto

"Sasuke, do you promise you will be there."

"Yeah, this time, at least, I promise."

Sasuke jumped to the roof, away from the worried Naruto and Sakura. He was feeling almost scared of the powerful intent to kill that the other person was emitting. It reminded him of Orochimaru: So violent and angry... Also, the sharingan that was staring at him was bringing bad memories

"How do you do, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked. He distractedly wondered if that intent to kill was genuine, if his sensei was planning to kill him.

It was being a long, long day.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

Well, here is another chapter. I wanted to say thank you to all the reviewers that keep giving opinions chapter after chapter. They are truly the ones that make this story progress faster. Lee is a difficult character to write without any visual helps. I hope you like the part where Sasuke is scared because Lee is watching him in a weird way ;)

I was also interested in showing Orochimaru, in the time when he and Jiraiya and Tsunade where in good terms. Friends, even. Lucky for Sasuke, he has two team-mates that are too much of a fool to back down.

Attention to Tsunade's comment about the original Uchiha Tragedy (it's not Itachi's), because it's going to be an important part of the story.

Finally, I wanted to say thank you to all the reviewers that keep writing opinions chapter after chapter. They are truly the ones that make this story progress faster.


	10. Student and teacher

**Chapter 10: Student and Teacher **

_The moment when a teacher feels most proud is when the student surpasses the teacher. In some cases though, the student will only feel satisfied when the teacher is dead. Sooner or later, Orochimaru and I will fight to death. I think that if he kills me I will at least be satisfied with his progress._

_The Third_

* * *

Sasuke was still feeling the strong intent to kill that his sensei was emanating. Basic precaution would be assuming a defence stance, but he didn't want to assume the worst.

"Sasuke, what have you done?" asked Kakashi, with an open hostility.

"Nothing much. Well, I married. Sorry, I didn't invite you to the ceremony"

Kakashi moved with a surprising speed. Sasuke knew he was fast, but he was still surprised. One second he was standing, and the next he was rushing towards him. He didn't even see him as he kicked him hard in the face.

Sasuke was still in the air, when Kakashi attacked again, straight to the guts. Sasuke was left confused for a second on his knees. It was instinct that made him protect his face, and a second later he managed to block the kick that was going to his face.

Sasuke jumped back and spat blood.

"I don't get it. If Sakura and I married each other, why I'm the only one getting kicked around?" He said, to get time to get ready.

"Sasuke, what have you done?" Repeated Kakashi "Cancel the wedding immediately. It's an order."

"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei, but that's not that easy. She married me of her own free will. Ask her to cancel the wedding. If she accepts, I'll not object."

"I am ordering you to cancel the wedding" Kakashi warned with a dangerous tone.

"And I don't like people ordering me what to do, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi attacked again, moving at an incredible speed. Sasuke was forced to activate the Sharingan just to try to stop the onslaught of very advanced taijutsu that Kakashi was launching.

Sasuke finally jumped backwards, while the bones in his arm were protesting for being the ones being beaten. Suddenly water from the nearby river rushed at him with tremendous violence. Sasuke had to duck underground to escape from it.

"That's Suikodan no jutsu, isn't it? The jutsu you copied from that Zabuza from the Mist." asked Sasuke emerging from underground. "Sensei, are you really trying to kill me? Because it looks like that way"

"I am not going to kill you, but I'm going to force you to stop the wedding, whether you like it or not." Kakashi warned

"Sensei, if Sakura wants it, I'll cancel it. If not, not heaven not hell will force me to cancel it."

Suddenly a second Kakashi pulled his arm behind Sasuke, and started twisting it.

"Damn it!" Sasuke yelled, while being pushed to the ground.

"Sasuke, cancel it or I'll break you arm and you will never be able to complete your dream!" warned the first Kakashi, while the second was twisting Sasuke's arm more and more, pushing Sasuke's face to the ground.

"Fuck!" yelled Sasuke. Resisting the pain, he moved his whole body violently forward. Making a supreme effort he pushed back the head, smashing it against an out of guard Kakashi. The shadow clone banished, and Sasuke had barely the time to stop a punch from the real one.

Sasuke panted, this time keeping a strong defence stance, while Kakashi circled him.

"I will not back down, Kakashi-sensei. For my part, at least for the moment, the only way I'll be away from Sakura is if she becomes a widow."

Kakashi adopted the stance of Chidori. Sasuke mimicked him, wondering how it had come to this. Was his sensei really going to attack him with his strongest technique? His sensei was far faster than him. He would not be able to escape. The only way to defend himself was using chidori too, but with the power of both chidoris, it would be very difficult to control. Worst case scenario, they would kill each other.

They stood for some minutes not one of them moving, silently gathering some chakra, not enough to launch chidori, but close.

Finally, Kakashi stopped his stance, and Sasuke stopped it too.

"Your quest will only bring sadness, Sasuke. You won't feel any joy satisfaction killing your only living relative you have left"

"I already know that."

"You know it, and still you are going to go forward toward the void"

"I didn't choose the setting, not the pain, not the revenge, but the deeds have been done, and the only thing left is to pursue my brother to the bitter end, whatever it is."

"You are free to chase your brother to hell, if that's your heart desire, but why do you have to take Sakura with you in that path? Are you set into accomplishing your second desire as well?" asked Kakashi

Sasuke sighed.

"I don't want her to drag her into anything, sensei. I'm not interested in passing my genetic material to the next generation either. Things happened, and we decided we should marry. That's all." said Sasuke, fully expecting Kakashi to ask what the hell he was talking about

"Why? Why did it have to be Sakura?"

Sasuke just shrugged, still wondering what the hell was wrong. That had sounded too much as a generic question, not a real one. Anybody should be asking what things had happened.

"We are all living dark times. We have just finished the war against the Sand, and the war against the Sound is just a matter of time. In this time, there are very few lights, and, you are set on shutting it off one of the few left." said Kakashi almost to himself.

Suddenly a thought appeared on Sasuke's head. That thought was stupid, idiotic, groundless, ridiculous, silly, absurd... almost as brainless as the idea he had had of going out with Sakura and Naruto to drink.

"Kakashi sensei, could it be that you are in love with...?" No, no way. Hell, that was stupid. No, _he_ was stupid. He was actually worse than Naruto. Apparently the alcohol was still in his system.

"Sasuke, I plead to you. Stop your revenge. Stop this madness. Stop causing pain to yourself and everybody around you." Kakashi pleaded.

Sasuke closed his eyes.

"I am tired of this duty, too. Training with you, Naruto and Sakura... I enjoyed it, a lot. Still, I can't, and won't, ever, stop. I am sorry." He confessed.

There was a long, quiet silence. Sasuke lowered his head, and started walking away.

"Will the original Uchiha Tragedy repeat itself, Sasuke?" Kakashi suddenly asked

Sasuke stopped surprised, and turned around. There was the beginning of a cruel sarcastic smile in his head.

"The original Uchiha tragedy. All long living clans have dark secrets hidden in their past, but the secrets of the Uchiha clan are really dark. One of the darkest secret is the tragedy that caused with the break-off from the Hyuga clan and the creation of the Uchiha clan, a story that couldn't be told to a 7-year old child." Commented Sasuke "That secret made the Uchiha clan be known as the tragic clan or the cursed clan. It took hundred of years that story to be forgotten. I'm surprised you know it. One day I should ask you about your left eye and how you know so much about _my_ clan, Kakashi-sensei."

"What is your answer? You know about the dangers of following the path of revenge, and still you will go thought it?"

Sasuke turned back and kept walking away

"We are all bound by our feelings, by our blood, and by our pain, among other things. If you want to stop me you better use chidori to pierce my heart" Sasuke wondered if his sensei was going to do that in that very moment

"I'll do it, Sasuke. Believe me that if you force me to it, I won't doubt it." Kakashi promised.

"The original Uchiha Tragedy, the current Uchiha Tragedy. Do you want to know what they have in common, sensei?" Sasuke still walking away.

"I'm guessing you are going to tell me."

Sasuke smiled.

"The ending. There will not be a happy ending, I am sure of that. That's the reason they are called tragedies, and my destiny is to follow this tragedy to its bitter end."

* * *

Sasuke was feeling really bothered. The reactions of Kakashi and Tsunade were not was he was expecting. They never even tried to ask him his reasons. Instead, they had used respectively violence and authority. How come they hadn't tried to convince Sakura too?

A melodic sound stopped him. There was a young boy playing the flute. The colour of his hair was one he was familiar too and there was a tattoo in his hand, which looked too much as a curse seal to be a coincidence. Their eyes met for just a second, and he was already sure.

"What are you playing?" Sasuke asked

"An old song, about revenge and duty" the boy answered

"May I play it, please?" thinking that the Four Sound were underestimating him. They didn't need to be _that_ obvious

"Sure" the boy answered, giving the flute to Sasuke

Sasuke took it, trying to remember a song or another. Then he started playing. It was a sad, nostalgic music, about shattered dreams and painful grief. After a few minutes, Sasuke gave it back to the boy

"That was really good!" Admitted the boy "Where did you learn to play?"

Sasuke's calm countenance changed for a second, to an expression of pure anger

"A person taught it to me. He was the best musician of the whole Uchiha clan, probably of the whole Leaf. It wasn't that surprising, though. That person excelled in absolutely everything."

Sasuke started walking back to his house without looking back. He knew that the ANBU were still following him, but that the "boy" would be able to slip away. He knew his plans were in motion. He also knew he was probably going to be killed.

* * *

Half an hour later, the boy changed back to Tayuya, one of the Four Sounds. When she looked into the flute, as she was expecting, there was a note

"05:00. Bridge "The First". Outside the Leaf."

* * *

Tayuya considered carefully if it could be a trap. It couldn't be. That bridge was far away from the Leaf, and there were a lot of places where they could hide if the ANBU were expecting them. Besides, if he wanted to trap them, he would have done it inside the Leaf, where they would have a far harder time to escape.

The time for Orochimaru getting the body of Sasuke was getting closer.

Sasuke got into his neighbourhood, something that could easily be seen by the silence and the lack of people walking in the street, and he was not very surprised to find Ino looking around the house, afraid to enter. She was holding a huge bouquet of flowers

"Oh! Hi, Sasuke-kun!" She said six times higher than what Sasuke would have liked.

"Hi" he answered almost politely. He was suddenly having an urge to run to his house. Besides, he had a very tight timetable. "You want to talk to Sakura?"

"Well, I was going to enter, but then I thought you two could be together. I didn't want to interrupt..."

«Waste of time » Sasuke reflected.

"You want to enter?" «Please say no »

"No, that's OK. Could you give these flowers to her? Since she stole you from mine, I thought I could still give her some presents for her victory."

"I don't know if that's a good idea. I'm really bad at taking care of flowers. All the ones I have died on me." «Exactly when I was yours, anyway», Sasuke asked himself

"You have one flower with you that is not going to let you go, so try to take good with her" Ino asked, holding the flowers for him

"Yeah" he promised taking them.

As soon as he grabbed the flowers, Ino grabbed his head and pulled him forward, kissing him full in the lips

"What are you...!" yelled Sasuke pulling back

"Don't think I've given up on you, Sasuke-kun. This is just a temporary defeat." She said with a sinister smile. "I don't know how she seduced you, but eventually you will be mine."

"But...!" Sasuke managed to stammer, but Ino had already disappeared. Sasuke suddenly had the urge to smash his head with concrete, metal or something harder. He should really check his mirror. The image it was giving him apparently was not what every single girl saw. He didn't get it, really. There was something wrong with the whole world.

* * *

Sasuke entered his house, and he was greeted by a laughing Naruto and a worried Sakura

"Sasuke, somebody made a joke with your home! You have a whole room painted in black!" laughed Naruto

"Baka, I already know that. I painted it myself." Hai, the whole world was crazy. Naruto was probably going to become Hokage sooner or later.

"Why? Do you like black that much?"

Sasuke shrugged but hyperactive Naruto had already moved to other question

"So, why did you marry Sakura so soon? I thought you didn't like her. Have you been going out in secret? You could have told us."

Well, _finally_ somebody asked. Pity he couldn't explain the true reasons. If Naruto knew, they would be fighting for hours, and he was already running out of time.

"Naruto, let's train. I already know how to do Kage Bunshin, but I need to perfect the jutsu, and for that I need your help and experience with the jutsu" He explained.

"No way I am going to teach you my jutsu!" yelled Naruto

Sasuke sighed. He didn't have time for bullshit. He would have to force him.

He kneeled down in front of Naruto and Sakura.

"Naruto, please, teach me the Kage Bunshin" he pleaded

Naruto was truly shocked.

"Sasuke! What are you doing! Get up!" He yelled. Sakura was silent.

"No until you promise to help me perfect the Kage Bunshin".

"Don't you have any pride!" yelled Naruto, still stubborn. Sasuke was sure it was just a matter of time. Naruto had too many feelings. Still, the question deserved an answer

"Of course I have pride. I am actually very proud. However if pride, or any other feeling, for that matter, becomes an obstacle in the way of my objectives," and this time he was looking at Sakura "I'll grab it with my own hands and I'll eliminate it."

There was another silence. Naruto was trembling, Sakura was immobile and Sasuke was still kneeled down

"Why are you so desperate to learn Kage Bunshin?" Asked Naruto "Who do you need to fight?"

This time Sasuke was surprised at Naruto. He was more perceptive that people gave him credit. A little bit.

"I need to fight my brother. Other people I just use them to measure my strength" he said, not giving him any clues.

After a few seconds, Naruto sighed.

"Very well, but there is one condition."

Sasuke nodded.

"Whatever you want"

"You have to try to be a little funnier. Smile a little, make jokes, and stuff like that..."

"What?" Sasuke asked. Of all the stupid things Naruto could ask... Why didn't he ask him to be like Gay s... err, Gai sensei? ...

"So you can make Sakura happier" finished Naruto.

Sasuke was astounded. He didn't know if Naruto knew or not, but this time the blonde shinobi was throwing his words and thoughts back to him. He would never call Naruto an idiot again.

"Fine. Now let's train."

"And also you have to call me Naruto-sama, no, better Naruto-sensei, no better Naruto-sama, no..."

«Change of mind. Naruto is really an idiot, a total dumbass, the most stupid shinobi of the whole Leaf Village», Sasuke thought.

"Sasuke" interrupted Naruto

"Now what?" said a very exasperated Sasuke

"You are also my best friend, and it's not for lack of competition, you loner" said Naruto looking away.

Sasuke was surprised by that statement. Naruto had a knack to make him feel better.

* * *

Sasuke looked at the sun. It had almost disappeared. Perfect. Now he still had one hour to rest to gather chakra, and the plan would start.

"What are you doing, student Sasuke? Use Kage Bunshin again! I'm waiting! Come on! Start doing it now!"

"It's over for now. I need to rest" explained Sasuke. Using Kage Bushin was very dangerous, because it divided your energy between the different clones. If the clones were defeated, the real one would be almost defenceless. The maximum he could do was three. Naruto could do easily one thousand. There was something weird with Naruto, something very wrong, but that wasn't any of his business

"You have training for hours" commented Sakura. "I prepared some dinner for you."

They entered his house, and for a moment Sasuke was surprised. The chairs were not in its place, a book had been moved, and there was a vase with the flowers that Ino had brought. What was the deal with those new tablecloths?

"Oh, Sasuke! I changed a few things around the house. It seemed too cold, you know" warned Sakura

Sasuke stared at her for a second. He had changed things in _his_ house? Without his permission... oh, rats, it was _their_ house now. Well, he could live with that.

Naruto was already talking how Sasuke would be in really good shape when the training was over. Sasuke used the time to glance at Sakura. She seemed to be really happy. That was good, probably.

"Sakura, we need to go to your home." warned Sasuke.

"What for?"

"I still haven't introduced myself formally to your parents. I have to tell them that you are married to me" « and I better show them the laws of the village to explain to them that I didn't need their consent », Sasuke mentally added.

"I don't think they are going to like it too much."

Sasuke was silent for a few seconds.

"Naruto, you said I am your best friend, right?"

"Yeah" said Naruto suspiciously

"Could you use Henge no jutsu to transform into me, and go explain Sakura's parents that I married her?" He said in his usual tone

"Why does it have to be me?" groaned Naruto

Sasuke smiled

"Just kidding" he said

Naruto and Sakura stared at Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke, the avenger, last survivor of the Uchiha clan, had made a joke.

* * *

Sasuke was dressed totally in black, this time without the Uchiha symbol. He was wearing in his backpack a change of clothes, besides some other stuff he would need. He wasn't expecting trouble in the way. The ANBU were too obvious, and trapping an Uchiha in its own territory was like trapping a fish in the ocean: Too many ways to get out.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke almost jumped. People kept surprising him, first Ino and then Sakura. He had to be more careful

"I am sorry about my parents. They can be a little... overprotective, you know?" She continued

Sasuke shrugged.

"It's late. Go back to sleep" he said.

She didn't answer. She was staring at his backpack.

"Sasuke, I know I promised you that I wouldn't stop you with your mission. I don't want to be a burden to you. I also promise you that I won't ask this ever again, but, please, don't leave me."

Sasuke knew he was running out of time. Still...

"I am not planning on leaving you tonight, Sakura. I'll be back"

"Do you promise?"

"Hai. I won't promise you this ever again, but today I tell you that I will be back. Even if the old Nine Tails or the whole Sound tries to stop me, I'll be back. Even if I have to go through a road of blood, I'll be back."

"Sasuke-kun, let me help you getting out" she pleaded

"I don't need your help" explained Sasuke

"I know, but still, let me help you. Can you do it for me?" She asked

Sasuke looked at her. People around him had a way with words recently

* * *

The ANBU had a strong net around the Uchiha neighbourhood. This time they were not going to miss the target. When the target got out of the house and started jogging, they carefully followed him, but still maintained the net.

They never saw the real target getting away through a secret passage.

* * *

The Leaf chuunin guard quickly stood up when he saw the Hokage.

"How are things around?" She asked.

The chuunin was going to answer, when he noticed something weird with the charka of the Hokage. He never had time to give out the alarm when a second shadow knocked him down from behind. The Hokage disappeared while the real Sasuke took the keys from the body of the guard, and opened the warehouse of the ANBU

"Now it begins" Sasuke muttered.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

This is it. Another chapter. Do you like it? Did you like the fight between Kakashi and Sasuke? Fights are hard to explain without any visual imagery.

More appearances of the mysterious Original Tragedy, and also, appears a hint of Kak-Sak, immediately discarded by Sasuke. Is there anything going on behind the scenes?

I am trying hard to mix the harsh reality (Kakashi fighting with Sasuke) thick story (ANBU vs. Sound) and gloomy future (Sasuke's comments on the bitter end) with parts of humour (Ino's kiss with Sasuke's reaction) and parts of hope (Sasuke trying to change himself)

Notice that I wanted to represent the moment when Sasuke left the Leaf, with the recent changes in his life. Even the last sentence is the last sentence of 181 of manga.

Well, let's wait for the next chapter. In the meantime, please send some reviews. We writers live for them.


	11. To survive you must kill

**Chapter 11: To survive you must kill**

"_Still playing ninja, eh? When I was your age, these hands were already dyed with blood"_

_Momuchi Zabuza "Devil"_

* * *

Sasuke panted. He had been working non stop for hours already, and still he had to prepare a few alternate plans for dealing with the Four Sound, prepare the conversation, put the grass back, choose the moment when he would set the trap, put the nails back, and finally remove the smell of paint. This was truly the longest day of his life.

Not to mention that after all the training was done, this was the first time he was coldly preparing the death of another human being. Killing in combat was one thing he was always ready for, but to prepare with such care for an assassination was more difficult. At least the memories of Itachi had its uses: Every time he doubted, he only had to ask himself if his brother would hesitate. All the indecisiveness disappeared.

Sooner or later, he would become a demon. He would then chase after another demon. It was just a matter of time

* * *

Kakashi knocked on the door. After a few seconds, it opened quickly and a familiar face looked at him, first with a expression of happiness, then surprise, then disappointment, and finally with her usual kind face

"Hi, Kakashi-sensei."

"Hi Sakura" said Kakashi, the suspicions that Sasuke was not at his house just confirmed. He had slipped again. "Can I speak with Sasuke?"

"He's busy" she answered without missing a beat.

"It's kind of important" he warned.

"Just tell me the message, I'll pass it to him" she answered again. Kakashi was surprised for her ability to lie.

"Sakura, I know he's not here. Stop lying" he finally said.

"If you knew it, why did you keep talking as if you didn't know?" She asked, not even blushing for being discovered, as Kakashi had expected.

Kakashi was taking aback. Sakura had, somehow, changed in the last twenty-four hours, and he was not sure he liked it.

"Sakura, I came to try to convince you to stop this insanity. I tried convincing Sasuke, but he is too determined to even consider if the roads he is choosing are wrong" He finally said. His original plan was to enter the house and talk about other things, and carefully, very carefully, convince her to leave Sasuke that very night, but Sakura apparently didn't feel like cooperating.

Sakura's smile almost disappeared.

"Was it you that fought with Sasuke? His face was full of fight marks."

"I didn't intend to hurt him."

Sakura smiled.

"You tried to convince Sasuke, and now you come to convince me. Should I invite you to the living room for a cup of coffee, or should I get the training gear?"

Kakashi for a second was sure he was speaking to Sasuke using Henge no jutsu.

"Sakura..."

"I am sorry, Kakashi-sensei, that wasn't fair. It's just... It has been a very long day, and I'm worried about Sasuke" she closed her eyes.

Hai, thought Kakashi, I know that far too well, both things.

"Do you actually have any idea where he is headed? I have to warn the ANBU to send a squad after him."

Sakura opened her eyes again and smiled.

"I don't know where he is, but you don't have to worry. He will be here tomorrow" she said, and there was a total security in her voice

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because he promised me, and I know he won't break up his promises to me, ever." Again that security. Kakashi sighed.

"Sakura, what I am going to tell you is top secret information: I was watching Sasuke the other day, and I saw the Four Sound, Orochimaru's elite guard, speaking with him. They offered him power, enough to kill Itachi, if he went to Orochimaru. Itachi is..."

"His brother. I know. What happened then? Did he accept?"

"Not then, but I am sure Sasuke has already accepted. He's probably in his way right now to Orochimaru."

Sakura smiled.

"I guess I am really going to be a bother to him." She said. "You don't have to worry; I already figured out that he had made some kind of deal with Orochimaru. But he is coming back, sensei, he is coming back today. He is going to reject Orochimaru."

Kakashi sighed.

"It's too late. He won't be back. His hate against his brother is too huge"

* * *

Sasuke felt their chakras approaching before he could see them. It was almost pitch black as the clouds were partially covering the moon. The Four Sound were approaching him for each cardinal point: North, South, West and East. They were very careful, not letting him a single place to escape.

The plan was starting now, and he had a very short time

"Sasuke-sama, let's go to Orochimaru" said the one that had identified himself as Sakon

"Fuck you" Sasuke said simply. For one second he had doubted.

"What?" said the one with four arms: Kidoumaro

"I said fuck you. If you don't get it, it also means no" said Sasuke while his hand went to his pocket.

Immediately, Sasuke felt all their chakras turning hostile and getting ready for a fight. He smiled as he took out a pack of cigarettes.

"Jumpy, aren't you?" He said taking one cigarette out and looking around his pocket, apparently for a lighter.

"Damn" he murmured to himself, even if he knew the Four Sound were listening. He started making seals, and the Four Sound jumped backwards. He used Katon at the slowest power, just enough to light the cigarette. "You guys are too nervous. You should relax a little bit" he mocked with an amused voice, while he smoked his eleventh cigarette of the day. First time ever he smoked and he was already getting sick of it. Shit with the stupid plan!

The Four Sound started getting closer again. They were probably angry with themselves for being made fun of. They would probably be less careful. The first part of the plan was complete. The second part would be harder. He had to choose carefully the moment when the four of them would be distracted.

"You shouldn't smoke Sasuke; it's bad for your health. Kids shouldn't say that sort of things either." said the fat one: Jiroubo.

Sasuke stared at him. Was that guy for real? He just blew the smoke in his direction.

"What do you mean you are not coming with us? Have you forgotten your purpose?" asked the female: Tayuya?

"You see, guys" said Sasuke trying hard not to cough "You probably know this already because I'm betting you have been following me for the whole day, but I was just married. I am sorry I didn't invite my future team mates to the wedding. Anyway, leaving the Leaf on my wedding night would destroy my reputation. It's not that I care about what other people think about me, but there are some things that you just don't do. Running out on your wedding night is a no-no, you know? People may think I don't like women or that I got scared."

There was a deafening silence. Still, to the weak light of the cigarette Sasuke could see that they weren't distracted enough yet, and he was running out of time

"Bah, forget it. I was just trying to be funny because I made a stupid promise to an idiot. The least you could act as if it were amusing" he said. Time was still running out.

"What about Itachi? Are you going to let him live after he killed your whole clan?" asked Sakon

"Who is going to let him live?" Sasuke answered with a dangerous voice He forced himself to calm down. "Don't worry about him. I am planning to go to Orochimaru sooner or later, so, why don't you come back later?"

"It's a pity" grinned Kidoumaro "Our orders were to bring you to Orochimaru without delay. You can come with us, or we will take you by force"

"Just try it" grinned Sasuke. He knew his plan had failed "I'll take you on."

"Hold on a second, why aren't you coming?" Asked Tayuya "And don't give me that stupid crap about being married."

"Well, you see," said Sasuke, his plan was still on, but he was quickly becoming desperate. He was running too fast out of time. "The thing is, I think a team-mate of mine is pregnant because of me, or at least there is a high possibility she is, and I have to take responsibility. What about it? Go back to the Sound and return here in five months. If she isn't pregnant, I'll go with you. If she is, well, just wait eighteen years, and I promise I'll go there."

"Eighteen years!" Yelled Kidoumaro, but Sakon interrupted

"When did you get her pregnant?"

"The other night." Sasuke explained. "We got drunk, and we ended up spending the night together. It sucks, I know"

There was another silence, and Sasuke was already going to risk it, when Tayuya started laughing. Very soon he was followed by everybody.

"I don't think it's that funny" said Sasuke. His chance was there, all his enemies were distracted, and he had to do it now. Still... killing was not an easy thing to do.

"You are... you are... an idiot!" Tayuya was saying. Sasuke then thought about Itachi, and everything became easier.

"Whatever" he said, and without any sudden movements, he threw a cigarette to a corner of the bridge. Maybe with normal light somebody could see that there was something wrong in the corner, even if the colour was the same as the rest of the bridge. With the small light of the cigarette and with the darkness of the night, it was totally impossible.

When the cigarette touched the scroll, it ignited. The explosion provoked a chain reaction in all the scrolls hidden inside and under the bridge, as well as the explosives buried in the land surrounding the bridge.

Usually, the Four Sound would have been fast enough to react, even in the single second that the first scroll needed to explode. This time, however, they were too distracted laughing, and they didn't have time. The last thing they saw was Sasuke's face: It was smiling. Then the explosion enveloped all of them.

* * *

Kakashi's eyes darted to the right. He could swear he had heard a small sound from far away, like an explosion.

"So, you too have given up on him, haven't you, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi stood silent.

"I still remember the beginning of the chuunin exam." remembered Sakura closing her eyes.

"_You will let me pass through and also remove this surrounding created with genjutsu. I'm going to the third floor" said a smiling Sasuke_

"_So you noticed" said the genin that had been trying to thin out the candidates for the chuunin exam_

_Sasuke grinned, and turned to Sakura, who he had noticed that had been acting strange all morning _

"_Sakura, you must have noticed first, right?" He smiled an encouraging smile "Your analytical ability and genjutsu know-how is the most improved of our team_

_Sakura blushed. She smiled._

"_Of course I noticed a while ago, because this is the second floor"_

_Sasuke smiled, as the genjutsu disappeared._

"I didn't have any belief in myself. Sasuke's words gave me confidence about myself." Sasuke seems always cold and unfriendly, but actually he is kind." Explained Sakura "He cares about me."

"Maybe he is kind, but he hates himself for it. His brother is forcing him to follow a dark road, and he will go after him. You can't stop him, Sakura."

"I have faith in him and in myself. This time, I am the one that is not going to give up, ever. I'll pull him out of that dark road, sensei. You can believe me when I say I'll do it" she said, and her eyes were shining. Kakashi stared at them. They were the same as Naruto's or Sasuke's: Eyes full of determination. He understood there was nothing he could say. Not even the truth.

"Sakura, I hope you are not making a mistake" He knew she was.

"Kakashi-sensei, you can ask yourself to Sasuke, when he comes tomorrow." She said. She had a convinced smile, the same one she had during the chuunin exam.

Kakashi left the house worried. Tragedies had one thing in common besides the sad ending: No matter how hard the characters of the tragedy fought, they could never escape their destiny.

* * *

Ukon got to the bank of the river, while the blood rushed out from his many wounds. The explosion had devastated the area. The Four Sound, the bridge and even that bastard of Sasuke had all evaporated. He had noticed only in the last second the scroll igniting. He had been forced to jump to the river away from the Four Sound, before the explosion killed him too. Shit, he had needed to use his own brother as a shield. That Sasuke bastard had killed himself. How...?

Before he had time to react, a shadow had appeared in front of him and had kicked him, hard. He was too hurt to react, while in the air and the shadow's owner used Shadow Leaf Dance to stop his movements. It hit him with a deadly combo of six strikes. It finished with a lethal kick to the abdomen

Ukon fell down, too hurt to even move

"Indeed, the Lion Rendan is better than the Initial Lotus. Especially when you don't have your brother to protect you" considered Sasuke

"But... but... you were dead... No! Kage Bushin!"

Sasuke smiled.

"It was a lot of training to make the shadow clone last so long to wait for the right moment to start the explosions. I got the idea from a green freak from the Leaf. He is actually very strong, but he praised me for my victory using a plan. I thought that if you were stronger than me, I could beat you by using my brain. The ANBU will think that you were killed when you were carrying stolen explosive scrolls to the Sound because of an accident. Even if they don't believe it, there will be no proof to link me to the explosion."

"Do you think you will get away with this?" yelled Ukon.

"I was watching the whole conversation with my clone from far away." Sasuke continued "If you had gone away, I wouldn't have needed to kill you. Now Orochimaru will have to leave me alone for a while until he reorganizes his troops."

"Damn it!"

"And now you die" said Sasuke, grabbing Ukon by the hair "I can't kill you using my weapons, it would be suspicious. I'll just have to drown you." explained Sasuke pushing the head of a too injured Ukon to the water.

Ukon tried to move, but his body didn't respond, and very soon he felt the air in his lungs disappearing. At the last second he felt Sasuke pulling him upwards by the hair. The air again entered his nostrils.

"I am sorry" Sasuke apologized "Before I kill you, you have one last wish you can make"

"JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR A MOMENT!" He yelled

"I am listening" Sasuke answered calmly

Ukon looked for the right words to say. If he screwed up, he was dead. He still knew something the Sasuke bastard didn't know. He would use it as the last weapon.

"You are not making any sense. What do you want, a happy family life with that girl? Your destiny is to join Orochimaru. Any second you lose here, is another chance your brother has of becoming stronger than ever. Just think about your clan. Think about all the people that your brother is going to kill him from now on. If you stay with her, you are putting her in danger. Think about Itachi. Think about your revenge."

"I know I am selfish" Sasuke admitted "but I can't leave her. Not now."

"If you stay with her, your determination will waver. You can still come to Orochimaru. He will give you power, enough to kill your brother."

Sasuke gazed at Ukon. He started to laugh.

"You don't have to worry about my determination. Either my brother or I will die at the hands of the other. That is written in the stars and nothing on Earth or under can change that fact."

Ukon opened his mouth to say something else, the most important thing. However before he could say it, Sasuke pushed him down. The water entered Ukon for his mouth, and soon he couldn't breath. He struggled a little more, but Sasuke's hold on him was firm, and soon he felt the life leaving his body. His last thoughts were to Orochimaru.

Sasuke stood ten minutes there, still holding the last of the Four Sound in the water. Then he started getting away, before any Leaf patrol could find him.

When he was in a safe place, he felt the adrenaline leaving his body. He started trembling. One second later he threw up all Sakura's dinner.

"Shit." He complained. Killing was easy when you just thought about your enemies as objects. It wasn't that easy when you considered them people. Still, he had done it. "Don't worry brother. You will be next, sooner or later."

Sasuke got closer to a tree that had some knife marks.

"_Brother, brother, watch this. Very soon I'll be as tall as you" he was pointing to a mark on the surface of the tree, which was one centimetre higher than the last one._

_His brother just smiled, and the smile was kind._

"Why are you always in all my happy memories, brother, why do I have to hate you?" He asked. He closed the eyes and memories started to flood: All of them happy, all of them with his brother. He opened them again and this time the full sharingan was activated for the first time in his life.

Some minutes later, the ANBU reached the place of the explosion. They saw a fire from farther away. When they reached it, they saw a large area burning. They didn't find anybody.

* * *

Sasuke entered his home. Avoiding the ANBU had been hard this time. If it weren't for the secret passages to his house that now nobody but he knew about, he would have been caught.

He saw Sakura sleeping in the couch. He put the pink rose in the table near her, and he was walking back when there was a change in her breathing.

"If you are going to pretend to be asleep, you better control your breathing better" he warned

Sakura smiled and got up.

"I am sorry, Sasuke-kun. I was concerned about you."

Sasuke shrugged.

"What is that?" Sakura asked walking to the table

"Nothing. Just something I found" Sasuke said, lying

"_Sasuke, look at this rosebush I found" Itachi said "It's surrounded by high trees, and most people wouldn't notice it."_

"_Bah! I don't like flowers. They are useless."_

"_Don't say that" smiled Itachi "You'll be entering ninja academy very soon. A lot of girls will also train there. You can give one rose to the girl you like."_

"_I am not going to like any academy girl." Answered defiantly Sasuke "First I am going to become stronger than you."_

"_I understand" grinned Itachi" You already have a girl you like, and you are not interested in any other girls. I see. Interesting" Itachi joked_

"_No way! What are you saying!" yelled Sasuke_

"_It's OK. I'll be sure to tell dad and mom you already have a girlfriend" Itachi smiled evilly_

"_I am going to kill you!" Sasuke promised attacking Itachi, that easily avoided the attacks._

_Both of them were laughing_

_None of them knew that years later, in a rage, the same night Sasuke eliminated the Four Sound, he would burn the place where he used to train with his brother because the memories were too painful. He would only take a single flower for a girl_

Sasuke saw Sakura smelling the flower and smiling. It felt peaceful. Why did he have to break up all the peaceful moments?

"Sakura, I want to let a few things clear" he started said. He wanted to explain that he was not in love with her, that his duty was more important, that she shouldn't get his hopes up "I..." He was stopped when Sakura put her finger on his mouth

"Sasuke-kun, whatever you want to say, it can wait until tomorrow. We are both tired. Let's go sleep."

Sasuke was surprised by Sakura acting so boldly, but she was right. He was very tired. She went to the guest room and he went to his room. He changed into his pyjamas, and entered his bed. It had been a long day. He closed the eyes and drifted to sleep.

_Itachi and he were dancing, with kunais and shurikens flying to each to other. Around them, the bodies of Sakura and Naruto, that had stepped into the fight_

"NO!" He screamed. Somebody was shaking him: Sakura with her pyjamas on.

"Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun, are you all right?" She asked with a concerned and tired look on her face.

Sasuke glanced at the clock and sighed: Three nightmares in little more than two hours. Apparently, he wanted to beat the record.

"Sorry, I woke you up again" he just said.

"Sasuke-kun, every time you start screaming, it sounds as if you were being tortured and I have to rush to your side." She said "This is already the third time. This can't go on."

"I totally agree" he answered. Apparently she was giving up on him very soon. But that was OK. She could go to a different house, or better, _he_ could go to a different house to sleep. It was a good idea. Sakura would easily understand that she shouldn't stay close to him and... "What are you doing?" He yelled. Sakura was getting into his bed with him.

"What do you think I am doing?" She asked "I am sleeping with you. Every time you start screaming it sounds as if you were being attacked. I need to sleep with you so that I know you are safe."

Sasuke opened his mouth to object. That was _his_ bed and _his_ room. She was invading his personal space. Besides, last time they had slept in the same room catastrophes had happened. No, it was a bad idea. She should get out of _his_ bed immediately. What the hell was she thinking, anyway?

"Sakura..." he started to say, but he noticed by the breathing that she was already asleep. Shit, then it was he that had to go to another room... He just needed to close the eyes for a second because he was tired. Definitely, it had been a long day...

Sasuke drifted to sleep before he could act. He didn't have any more nightmares that night.

* * *

* * *

Well, this is it. Next instalment of the story. As always, a mix between humour and bad premonitions, as well as character development and scenes of action and drama. I also tried to write a few parts of happy memories between Sasuke and Itachi, to show how hard it must be to Sasuke be the avenger he desires to be.

Also, thanks to all the people that made a deep review last chapter. I am learning a lot from the reviews. I am trying to keep the characters as they are shown in the manga, but I am also trying to show their evolution.


	12. The day she fell in love

**Chapter 12: The time she fell in love**

"_I sometimes wonder, what my life would have been if it wasn't because of my brother. At those times I hate the life I have; I hate the duty I have; I hate my own hate. Then I totally wake up and I go training: There is one life I have to take_"

_Uchiha Sasuke_

* * *

Sasuke woke up. He blinked once, twice. What had happened? 

He felt a weight on top of him. He fully opened his eyes to see a sleeping Sakura, resting her head and her right arm on his chest. For a second he felt the sting of terror, wondering how Sakura was sleeping in _his_ bed. He remembered that Sakura had slipped in his bed the night before. He had thought about leaving, but he had fallen asleep.

He watched her. He could see her face, half hidden by her hair. She was beautiful. He moved his hand very, very gradually, and touched her hair. She didn't move. He caressed her hair with all possible precautions. She was indeed very beautiful.

«I need a cigarette », Sasuke concluded.

He ever so slowly disengaged from Sakura's grip and got up from the bed. She had a peaceful smile in her face. He got closer. He remembered the story about the sleeping princess that was awoken by a prince with a kiss. Sakura was indeed a princess, but he wasn't a prince. Sasuke left her and went to the bathroom. There he looked his own reflection. He looked like shit.

Last night he had killed four people.

The thought this time didn't even phase him. It was just a fact. He had finally become a killer. Another step to avenge his clan had been done. He got out of the bathroom. He saw Sakura waking up.

"Good Morning Sasuke-kun" she said happily.

"Morning" he said. She seemed very happy every second she was with him. Well, he had to stop the situation soon. She shouldn't have her hopes so high. His duty was to kill his brother, and not even she could stop him. He had to tell her

"Sakura..." he started.

Sakura didn't even answer; she just went past him with sleep in her eyes, to the bathroom, and closed the door.

"Damn!" Sasuke murmured. He decided to go to the kitchen and prepare for breakfast. At first he was preparing it only for him. He decided to do it also for Sakura when he remembered they were... _married_.

Sasuke sighed. He had been forced to learn to smoke, and had developed a small craving for cigarettes because of the stupid plan to eliminate the Four Sound. However he wasn't drinking ever again.

He prepared breakfast for both of them, and waited until she entered the kitchen.

"Sakura" he said calmly "Do you really think it's a good idea to sleep in the same bed?"

She shrugged.

"I told you the other day that it was because you were having nightmares. Besides, we are husband and wife, after all." She added blushing.

Sasuke groaned. He truly needed a cigarette.

"Do you want some coffee?" She asked

"Sure" he said. He stared very surprised at the back of Sakura "Sakura! Your back...!" There was an addition on her usual clothes: The Uchiha Symbol was proudly displayed on her clothes.

"You like it?" She said, smiling widely. "I had to keep myself awake, so I sewed the symbol in all the clothes I brought. I have to buy more clothes, since I didn't bring much from my old home."

Sasuke thought that usually he would have complained about how easy she said "Old home". Still, he had to admit something: The Uchiha Symbol looked great on her.

"It's nice" he just said. He was looking at Sakura. The mood was... peaceful. Again. There was something about those moments that were precious to him. Him sitting in his house, Sakura, wearing the Uchiha Symbol, singing a soft tune and preparing some breakfast... For less than a second, he thought that he could get used to that vision, getting up every day watching Sakura taking care of him...

"Sakura, I don't feel anything towards you" he said brusquely. He was indeed an absolute, complete, total, stupid idiot, but he had a mission to fulfil. He didn't have time for love. He didn't _want_ love. If he loved, he was showing a weakness. Love was something that could too easily be taken away. Only pain would remain. He _rejected_ love.

Sakura for a second stood, showing her back to him. Then she turned around. She was smiling

"Sasuke-kun, I know you like me, so stop pretending." She said. "I was awake when you were caressing my hair."

Sasuke would have cut his hand right then.

"I was just checking if you were sleep." He said, trying to excuse himself.

"What about that kiss?" She asked, remembering their kiss last day.

Hai, that kiss. That was a good question, a very good question.

"That was an automatic reaction. I wasn't thinking. It was a mistake, and I probably still had alcohol on my system" explained Sasuke, almost enumerating all the excuses he had said to himself over and over.

She didn't answer. She just smiled

"Even if I loved you, and I'm not saying I do," he warned "My hate for my brother is still stronger."

"I know that" she said. The smile was still there, but now it was sadder. "What happened the other day?" She suddenly asked, while giving him the cup of coffee.

Sasuke was surprised by that question, and it was a complicated one. He could either lie to her, meaning that from then on, he would always lie to her if there was any risk for him. He could also say the truth: He had a secret rendezvous. He had been offered the chance of going to Orochimaru, and he had almost accepted.

If he told her the truth, it meant that from then on, she would have a weapon to use against him. She could rat on him, and he would be executed by treason anytime she wanted. Could he trust anybody that much? Since Itachi, he had sworn never to trust anybody. The more the trust, the more painful the betrayal.

Sakura was staring at him. She apparently had guessed his doubts because she wasn't saying anything.

Sasuke finally sighed. He was going to commit a serious mistake. Another one.

"The other day I went to speak with the Four Sound: Orochimaru's henchmen. They had talked to me a few days ago about leaving the Leaf. I was going to accept before I decided going out with you, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei to drink. You know what happened next."

"I already knew that" she said, totally surprising Sasuke "Kakashi-sensei told me."

"He knew?" asked Sasuke. That was complicated. If Kakashi knew it the Hokage and the ANBU knew it as well. That meant the reason they ANBU had been following him wasn't to protect him, but to kill him in the moment he decided to leave the Leaf. He would have to be far more careful from now on. So far, he had _planned_ on leaving, but he had never actually done anything opposite to the Leaf. He was probably safe, for the moment. Hold down a second...

"Kakashi-sensei just told you the information like that? Didn't he tell you not to tell me?"

"He told me that it was top secret information, but" and she smiled "I trust you"

So much for his lack of trust in Sakura. He was really undeserving.

"Ne" said Sakura, interrupting his thoughts "What happened when you went to speak to the Sound Four?"

"I killed them" he simply said. Then he felt the need to explain to her "I gave them the chance to leave. They wouldn't take it." Why was he saying it like if he were apologizing, anyway?

She nodded, but he kept speaking. He had to. It was for her own good.

"I told them that I couldn't go until I found out if you were pregnant or not. I told them that if you were, I was going to stay with you and if you weren't, I was going to leave with them." He explained, for the first time in years fully confiding in somebody.

Sakura wordlessly stood, thinking her confession. Then sound of the microwave interrupted them. Sakura took one of the cups, and gave the other to him.

Sasuke thought that maybe she was thinking about leaving him, because their relation had no future. He didn't believe it, because she was in love.

He really needed that cigarette.

Sakura was thinking about Sasuke. He already knew or had figured out most of what Sasuke had told her. However hearing Sasuke saying clearly to her that he was going to leave her really hurt.

Still, she wasn't giving up. No, she wasn't giving up on him. He better believe it.

Sasuke put a brief grimace after tasting the coffee.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Your coffee sucks" he explained sincerely. "It has enough sugar to make me visit the dentist a few times."

Sasuke's sudden harsh words really hurt. Still she managed a forced smile.

"I am sorry, I really like with sugar. Let me..." she asked extending her hand.

Sasuke didn't listen; instead he drank most of the coffee, almost managing to hide his displeasure.

"You didn't have to drink it." She warned

"Of course I had to" he said, as if it were obvious "You made it for me, after all." He finished the coffee.

Sakura smiled

"You haven't changed" she said. "You are too honest. Do you remember the first time we talked?"

_Sakura was practicing shurinken throwing after the Academy had ended, but all the shurikens were falling too far away from the target. She wanted to cry. No matter how hard she tried, she always failed. Why? Ino-chan always hit the target. It was because she didn't have any talent. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair._

_She tried again. She aimed, but the shuriken fell before it reached the target. She tried again with all her strength, but the shuriken flew far away to the left of the log. She wanted to cry_

"_Why?" She cried. It wasn't fair._

_At that moment she felt something. She looked, and there was a boy looking with a curious expression at her._

"_Hi" she said shyly. He was a classmate, wasn't he? The one that was always alone. What was his name? They hadn't ever spoken with each other._

"_You know, you _suck_." He said without a trace of kindness._

_She felt the need to cry again. Who was this boy? Why was he so mean?_

"_Your waist moves too little. You don't have any control on your arm. Your eyes are not fixed on the target. Your movements are too erratic. There is no way you are going to hit the log." Continued the boy restlessly "Have you actually ever practiced before?"_

_The tears were already welling up._

_The boy sighed and got closer to her._

"_Who do you want to hit?" He asked_

"_Eh? The l-log?" She ventured._

"_No. If you want to hit a log for no reason, you will fail. First, you need a reason. Why would you want to hit a log?"_

"_I... I don't know."_

"_What about because you want to be stronger so you can protect the whole village as a member of the police?" Said the boy. He smiled "Well, never mind that. Think about the moment when you felt more proud as a shinobi student. For me that moment was when my father finally acknowledged me. What was yours?"_

_She thought for a second._

"_I... I don't know. I don't remember any."_

_The boy stared at her for a second. He sighed._

"_Well, think about one person that you would like to surpass. Think about one person that is always better than you. Think about a person that once at least, even only once in your lifetime, you want to surpass" explained the boy_

_Sakura thought about a person she wanted to surpass and a name appeared immediately: Ino. She shouldn't say that, though, Ino was her best friend_

"_It doesn't matter if you love that person. This is about _friendly_ competitive spirit. Even if she is your most important person, just think about that person." this time he was pointing to the log "Remember that if you don't hit the log, you will never be able to surpass that person."_

_Sakura thought about being condemned to always be not Sakura, but just Ino's best friend. She concentrated and aimed exactly to the centre of the log with all her strength. Her arm movement was still bad, and the shurinken went to the right_

_She felt the need to cry. The boy walked quickly to the log, touched it. He smiled_

"_You missed, but it was a very close call. Look, you even scratched the log. Congratulations!"_

_Sakura looked at the log. It was true. There was a slight mark on the right side. Finally, she smiled._

"_Now you have to practice the theory a little more, especially arm direction, but I am sure you will do it." said the boy. "Now, sorry but I have to hurry. I have to go home to convince my brother to teach me some new moves" after saying that, the boy started to leave_

"_Wait! What is your name?" Sakura asked_

_The boy smiled and pointed proudly to his back symbol_

"_My name is Uchiha Sasuke, from the Uchiha clan, the strongest clan in the Leaf." The boy winked to her and he left._

_Sakura blushed, and smiled._

"_Thanks Sasuke-kun"_

_Uchiha Sasuke missed the next day of class. There were some rumours about a massacre, but the parents never spoke about it. The kids eventually forgot._

"Later I realized that my shurinken had moved too much to the right. I understood that it was you that put the mark on the log to raise my morale" said Sakura

"I don't remember about it" answered Sasuke, but then he had to admit that saying that he had forgotten about that day was stupid. He remembered the smallest detail about that day, no matter how hard he tried to forget it, even the position of the corpses. "It wasn't like that. I didn't put any mark in the log. It was your shurinken" Another lie too obvious. He had to be careful around Sakura. She made him lose concentration.

"You haven't changed." Sakura commented

"Hai, I have. Now I am more focused. I have to kill one man, and nothing will drive me from that path. Not even you, Sakura."

He was going to add a few more things, but he was interrupted when Sakura got up

"We will see that" said Sakura. "I am not going to stop you with your revenge, but I am not going to let you destroy yourself and your happiness in the process."

Sasuke didn't think she could ever be even close to achieve her goal. He decided to drop the matter and not waste valuable resources trying to convince her that there was no way he was going to let _anybody_ barge into his heart. At least he had made his point. He had told her that she shouldn't waste her time on him. She hadn't agreed, but with a little luck sooner or later she would.

"Sasuke-kun, we have to go training. We are already late."

Sasuke grinned

"I'm betting when we arrive Kakashi-sensei will not have arrived yet."

Kakashi had not arrived yet, and since Sakura and Sasuke had woken up very late, Naruto had been waiting alone for two hours.

"You are late!" He complained "Why do I have to be the only one waiting?"

Sasuke was observant. The words of Naruto weren't a normal complaint. He was afraid. He, Sakura and Iruka-sensei were the most important people in Naruto's life. If he and Sakura were together, they were going to spend less time with Naruto. At the end, Naruto was a lonely kid, like he was.

Still, it didn't matter. Loneliness was hard, but people could adapt and survive. Solitude made people stronger. Besides, it wasn't like if it were his business.

"Don't worry Naruto. Today we are having a party after training, and you are the only guest invited." said Sakura

"We are having a party?" asked Sasuke, and after receiving the death glare of Sakura, that put Orochimaru's to shame, he added "Hai, that party, of course. Naruto, you are the guest of honour" Sakura, like always, was too nice.

"And also the only one" added a grinning Sakura. Far too nice.

Naruto smiled, and suddenly jumped forward

"Thank you!" He said, hugging Sakura and Sasuke, that hadn't moved fast enough to avoid him.

"Skip it!" He said

"Ohhhhhh! It looks _so_ nice! That's the beauty of friendship." mocked a voice

"Kakashi-sensei..." started Sasuke

"YOU ARE LATE!" yelled simultaneously Naruto and Sakura

"... Yeah" finished Sasuke.

"I am sorry. I saw a comet crossing the sky, and I had to see it"

"In the middle of day?" wondered Sasuke

"YOU ARE LYING!" Screamed Naruto and Sakura.

"Actually, I came to tell you that I won't be directing your training today. I have to start taking S-class missions. So, for the time being, Sakura will organize the training."

"Sakura?" exclaimed Naruto

"Whatever" said Sasuke. He actually understood Kakashi. If he or Naruto were to be in charge of training, they would spend the whole day fighting between each other.

"Please, don't forget to be nice" said Kakashi, winking to Sasuke and Sakura. The latter blushed and looked away... and for a second Sasuke and Kakashi locked glances. In just that brief second, a lot of feelings went through Kakashi's eyes, but before Sasuke had time to distinguish them, Kakashi was walking back.

"Kakashi-sensei" murmured Sasuke to himself.

* * *

Kakashi closed his eyes 

"_It has been determined that the Four Sound have all been killed. Probably Uchiha's doing. Sadly, he has been careful. There is no proof it was him"_

"_Agreed."_

"_Still, it only means that Sasuke is delaying his decision until he finds out if Sakura is pregnant or not. So, the danger of losing the Sharingan still exists."_

_Kakashi stood silent. Tsunade had already made her decision._

"_But even if the Sharingan is important, the Kyuubi is far more important. The betrayal of Sasuke could extend to Sakura, and maybe even Naruto. Kakashi, this is an A-class mission: You have to make sure that Sasuke and Sakura break up. Also, I want you to prepare some techniques to fight and kill Sasuke if it's needed."_

_Kakashi nodded_

"_It will be done, Hokage-sama."_

_He left without making any opinions. They weren't asked either._

* * *

Sasuke stopped to rest for a second, the same as Sakura 

"What's up, guys? You tired already" mocked Naruto

Sasuke and Sakura locked glances with each other; both of them smiled and got up, taking the bags full of rocks still farther.

Sasuke was actually enjoying that training. He shuddered. Every time he actually enjoyed something, it was taken away.

* * *

The two young ANBU were watching the three genins training, when they felt something. They turned around, just in time to see shadow looming over them. It was the last thing they saw.

* * *

"What was that?" asked Sakura. 

"I don't know" said Sasuke. He had also felt something. For some brief seconds, there had been three chakras fully exploding. They had disappeared almost at the same time. The way they had ignited, it had seemed as a fight: One between high level shinobis.

It had also been very close.

"Single line formation. I'll be point man. Naruto, in the middle, as security. Sakura in the rear, you will give us extraction cover if needed" ordered Sasuke which was already rushing to the point where the fight had been. Naruto and Sakura quickly arranged themselves in the position ordered.

Truly, the bodies were close. Two of them. Both of them ANBU, according to the masks that were lying around. They had been probably spying on them when an unknown enemy had attacked

"Who would have done something like this?" asked Naruto.

Sasuke didn't answer. He was looking at his surroundings. The enemy seemed to have retreated. It was probably Orochimaru, or some of his henchmen, that were interested in him.

Or...

"_To abduct Naruto. That's the order that our Organization Akatsuki gave to us." Itachi commented_

Sasuke activated his sharingan and started looking desperately for any kind of clues. Not when he was hiding from Orochimaru in the chuunin exam, not when he was chasing Gaara he had become so desperate. Finally he found some: Some grass that had been stepped on, a moving branch...

"Stay here!" Sasuke yelled, and starting running, without caring for support or precaution. Everything he cared about was finding Itachi.

Minutes later, Sasuke was panting and standing in front of a young man, which was coughing blood. He didn't appear to have any external wounds. He wasn't wearing the clothes that Itachi and Kisame had worn. Sasuke was starting to think that he had made a mistake

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked.

"Kaguya... Kaguya Kimimaro." The young man answered. He had stopped coughing blood.

"Do you belong to Akatsuki?"

"No" said Kimimaro standing up. Sasuke decided that apparently he had made a mistake

"Are you one of Orochimaru's shinobis?"

"Hai" Kimimaro was looking right at him. He definitely had made a mistake, Sasuke concluded. "I am here to take you to Orochimaru."

Sasuke sighed. He really, really needed a cigarette.

* * *

* * *

AN: Another chapter. For your information, the memory of Sakura about Sasuke is between the time that his father acknowledged Sasuke, and the great massacre. Maybe the only time Sasuke was truly happy.

Well, did you like the chapter? This time is has been mostly scenes between Sakura and Sasuke. I liked the part where Sasuke draws the line between what he desires(sakura), and his duty and fears.

Bythe way, just a fair warning: I am not afraid to kill any of the main characters, so in any fight there can be casualties for both sides.


	13. Death of a True Warrior

**Chapter 13 Death of a true warrior**

"_Many people would sacrifice their lives for a reason. That reason can be very pathetic to some, and very honorable to others. My reason to live is Orochimaru-sama. For him I'd offer my life. If you are his enemy, get ready, because only one of us is going to leave this place_"

"_And it's not going to be you"_

_Kaguya Kimimaro_

* * *

Sasuke took a look around. Apparently this Kaguya Kimimaro was alone. So, this guy single-handedly had killed two members from the ANBU, the assassination squad of the Leaf. This was bad. He needed that cigarette. 

"So, you are one of Orochimaru's shinobis. I just heard that the Sound Four had an accident around here. You should be careful. Accidents have a tendency to happen around me to people I don't like" He tried speaking in a friendly tone.

"That's what I heard. Was it you?"

Sasuke grinned.

"It wasn't me. I assure you. I really loved that rabble. Listen, why don't you go back to Orochimaru and tell him that I'll think about it? Come back in five months and I'll give you an answer." smiled Sasuke

"Orochimaru is running out of time" said Kimimaro "I'm taking you there immediately. Don't resist."

"Shut the fuck up!" yelled Sasuke, also keeping carefully in his mind the comment about Orochimaru "running out of time". "Shit, now I am pissed off! This always happens to me! Listen, I worked hard to be acknowledged by my father. After I succeed he gets killed along with my whole clan, and I have to get revenge. I tried to be just your normal avenger, and I got two annoying team-mates that would never, ever, let me have my revenge in peace. I try to enjoy life a little bit, even admitting that Naruto is strong, and my brother comes along and visits me. I'm going through a tough time, I need some time to clear my thoughts, and the Four Sound beat me up. I decide that I'm leaving the Leaf, and I somehow manage to sleep with a girl and probably get her pregnant. Finally, I choose to stay here, and Orochimaru acts as your usual Evil Overlord who to convince me to go to the Sound, he sends one minion after another. Of course each one is stronger than the last. Damn it! I am kind of getting frustrated here! What kind of bullshit karma is dumping on me like this, over and over? I mean, Come on!"

"I am the strongest of the Sound Five" warned Kimimaro

"The Sound Five? You mean the former Sound Four? Well, I guess you are the strongest: You are the only one left. If you don't get your ass out of my way, I'll kick you all the way to hell!" Sasuke was carefully keeping his anger well under control. If he wanted to kill this Kimimaro he would have to wait until he found an opening in his defense. Still, this one didn't appear even bothered by his comments.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you have been chosen by Orochimaru-sama. Come with me."

Sasuke sighed. He had made a mistake coming alone, but at least Sakura and Naruto were safe. With a little luck they would go to the Leaf and bring reinforcements. However he didn't have time. He would have to deal with this one on his own.

"Look, this is a stalemate. You can't expect to beat me, carry me against my will and escape the ANBU hunt squads on your own. I don't feel like leaving the Leaf, you know being married and all. I insist, came back in five months and I'll give you an answer. Better, I'll escape on my own. You guys would just mess things up, as usual. Now, leave me alone." Sasuke turned around, and started walking away. However, using his own body as cover, he grabbed most of the shurikens he had.

"I can't do that" said Kimimaro softly. He had barely finished the sentence when Sasuke brusquely turned around, launching the shurikens. Kimimaro was surprised. Still he managed to avoid them all, even the ones that Sasuke had hidden behind the first wave of projectiles.

Kimimaro's eyes returned to where Sasuke had been, but he had disappeared. It was more instinct than hearing what made Kimimaro turn to the left, where a flying Sasuke was moving to him, with a kunai in his right hand. The tip of the kunai was aiming straight to Kimimaro's neck. The strongest of the Sound Five managed to evade it with a quick movement

"Damn!" Sasuke cursed while he threw another kunai from his left hand to his opponent's head. Kimimaro avoided like with insulting ease.

Sasuke activated the sharingan and pushed forward, trying different combinations and combos, even throwing by surprise a kunai or two. Kimimaro seemed to predict exactly his movements with perfect skill. Getting desperate, after fifteen endless minutes without laying a single hit on his opponent, Sasuke managed to grab his shirt. Sasuke pushed both his knees against his crotch. Of course Kimimaro stopped both of them with his hands, exactly as Sasuke had predicted. He smashed his protected forehead against Kimimaro's forehead.

Kimimaro fell down, but quickly got up, without any change of expression. Sasuke thought that he looked like a ghost.

"You... are good. Shit! Doesn't Orochimaru have any other mass-destruction plan? Why does he have to bother _me_?" panted Sasuke.

"You have a lot of potential." Praised Kimimaro "Come with me. I'll take you to Orochimaru. He can teach you to develop your true power. You have been chosen."

"I am so lucky!" Answered sarcastically Sasuke panting and thinking about a plan "Right now I am not interested in going to that wacko. Why don't you buy a forest and lose yourself there?" Sasuke concentrated his chakra "Katon, goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

A very violent fireball moved from Sasuke and went straight to Kimimaro. Sasuke had expected Kimimaro to jump to avoid it. He would be then vulnerable to his kunais. However, Kimimaro just stood still and let the fire engulf him.

"What the hell?" said Sasuke, when he saw that Kimimaro was unscathed, still, he had another plan. "Now I am pissed off. _Kaguya_ Kimimaro. I remember that name. You guys were almost eliminated by the Hidden Mist, weren't you? Wasn't it the Hidden Mist-Kaguya clan War?"

Kimimaro nodded.

"I am the last survivor" he said "However, the spirit of my clan lives on Orochimaru-sama. Come with me, and the spirit of the Uchihas will live on."

"Whatever, anyway, from last survivor of a clan to last survivor of a clan." Said Sasuke who knew that he had finally found a lever to beat his enemy "Don't you think you are a coward for not getting revenge? Your whole clan exterminated, men, women, children and babies. Still, you failed in getting revenge, since the Hidden Mist known killers are still alive. What happened? You made a half-assed attempt for getting revenge, failed and gave up? You are just a loser! LOSER! L-O-S-E-R.!"

The calm expression of Kimimaro had been cracking up. For the first time since the beginning of the fight, he was emitting a strong intent to kill, exactly as Sasuke had predicted. If he had lost his clan during the Hidden Mist-Kaguya clan War, then he had been a child when the massacre had taken place. The pain and the terrible memories had to be there, no matter how hard he had tried to suppress them. He knew that _too_ well.

"You..." said Kimimaro with anger.

"Katon, goukakyuu!" repeated Sasuke, and again, terrible flames moved towards Kimimaro.

"It's useless..." said Kimimaro "WHAT!" There were shurikens hidden in the fireball, and most of them impacted on him, but still he stood still. Sasuke had expected Kimimaro to use his amazing reflexes to avoid them. Apparently he had lost concentration because Sasuke's comments about his clan

It was his chance.

Sasuke moved using his extraordinary speed and soon he was standing behind Kimimaro, which still wasn't moving. He drove with all his strength his kunai into Kimimaro's unprotected neck. The weapon didn't even leave a dent on his enemy, who had the curse seal around his whole body.

"Well, Shit! Give me a break!" asked Sasuke, who was still shoving the kunai, which was still unmoving.

"My blood limit inheritance controls both the bone forming and destroying cells, as well as the density of calcium to manipulate the formation of bones. To create bone masks right under my skin is child's play to me." explained Kimimaro

Sasuke was still pushing the kunai ineffectively. He saw how bones popped right out of Kimimaro's body in the direction of his arm.

"Damn!" Sasuke jumped back, less than a second before the sharpened bones went right where his arm used to be. _Apparently_, Kimimaro was a little angry with him.

"You are strong, and your bloodline ability is terrifying." confessed Sasuke. "But I wonder. Can you resist my strongest technique?"

Kimimaro coughed blood again. He extended his arms

"Do it!" He commanded, while his body continued to change. The skin was getting darker. He was physically changing. He was becoming more like a demon.

Sasuke wondered about that coughed blood. He concentrated his chakra in his hand. He knew his enemy was underestimating him, and he was going to pay for that.

Using the chidori, he ran forward. When he was going to impact on Kimimaro's chest, he jumped left then forward, and finally backwards, using Kimimaro's new tail as support. The whole power of chidori, as it had never been stronger, smashed against Kimimaro's skull. However, the sound of bone breaking didn't come from Kimimaro

"FUCK!" Sasuke screamed, as he felt the terrible pain coming from his broken hand.

"Uchiha Sasuke" interrupted Kimimaro "This is the second level curse seal. You increase ten times your former strength. Tell me, Uchiha Sasuke, what is your ambition?"

"I want to kill my brother" Sasuke said with no hesitation at all. That was the answer he would always give, in a funeral, or in a wedding.

"Do you think you can kill Uchiha Itachi with your present strength?"

"I'm warning you, pal. Don't take me too lightly" warned Sasuke. He knew that his claim was almost ridiculous when he was even then holding his broken hand.

"I'm not" answered Kimimaro "However as long as you remain as you are, Uchiha Sasuke, you will never beat him."

Sasuke stared at him. The normal features of Kimimaro were weird. He was sweating. Was that emotion or fear?

"Uchiha Itachi is strong, very strong. You can't beat him as long as you remain a human being" said Kimimaro

"What the hell are you talking about? Itachi is human, well, kind of. Theoretically, at least."

"Not anymore. I fought him once. It was brief, but he showed me his true power. He is not human any longer. He has changed. He has _evolved_." Sasuke understood that the features this time were definitely from fear "You need Orochimaru to develop your power."

"Don't think I need him" replied Sasuke. "I have gotten pretty far on my own."

"Can Leaf's Rock Lee beat Sand's demon child Gaara of the Sand? The answer is no. What if that Rock Lee spends the next one hundred years training hard? Still it won't be enough against the demon powers. Gaara of the Sand grows stronger each second as his body adapts and can use more and more power. If you follow Rock Lee's footsteps, you will never defeat Uchiha Itachi. Your whole life will be meaningless."

"I didn't see you during the chuunin exams. Apparently you have a good information network" admitted Sasuke. This time the one sweating was him.

"The Second Level Curse is at the reach of your hand. Come with me, Uchiha Sasuke, and Orochimaru will give you power. What is your answer? Remember your ambition: To defeat Itachi for the death of your clan"

"I said I'm not interested now. Piss off. Why don't you come later? I'll even invite you to a snack at my house" Sasuke's hands were sweating profusely. Kimimaro's continuous mentions of Itachi were making it worse. The fear was breaking his defenses. His greatest fear was that the true genius of the Uchiha clan didn't even look back at him. That no matter how much he tried, his life's purpose ended unfulfilled.

"Uchiha Sasuke, last survivor of the Uchiha clan, Are you going to let your whole family left dead and forgotten? Don't you want revenge for all the pain Itachi has caused?" insisted Kimimaro

"I... I... " Sasuke tried to remember Sakura, he tried to remember Naruto, he tried to remember his choices.Everything he saw where the eyes of Itachi...

"_Why are you weak? Your hatred is not..."_

"Don't worry Sasuke, here we are!" announced suddenly Naruto

"Sasuke-kun, don't worry, we will help you!" yelled Sakura

Naruto and Sakura had suddenly appeared from nowhere and now were standing between him and Kimimaro

"What are you guys doing? I told you to wait for me! This guy is too strong!" yelled Sasuke

Both Naruto and Sakura turned their heads and smiled at him.

"It's OK" Naruto said "You don't have to fight alone."

"Of course. We are your team-mates and your friends. We fight together" said Sakura.

Sasuke was planning on yelling to them, but he forgot about it when he felt something warm in his chest. Sakura's words were affecting him more than usual. She was really annoying.

"Shit! Are you always this stupid, or is today a special occasion?" He murmured.

"Kage Bunshin!" yelled Naruto.

Sasuke, and specially Sakura, that hadn't witnessed it before, were left speechless when they saw more than one thousand Narutos running forward towards Kimimaro's changed form.

"He is strong!" commented a surprised Sakura

"Hai" agreed Sasuke, and after a few seconds, he repeated "Hai, he is."

The thousand Narutos were all attacking at the same time, hitting Kimimaro over and over.

No matter how many times Kimimaro counterattacked, thrashing around over and over at the weaker enemies, the number of Narutos only increased. Even if bones emerged continuously from his body and went through many of the shadow clones, new ones were continuously appearing. However no matter how many times the Narutos punched or kicked, they didn't even seem to faze the powerful last survivor of the Kaguya clan.

"Let's roll!" Yelled Naruto Immediately, all the Narutos started using the Rasengan, and rushed towards Kimimaro.

It was more blind luck than anything else, because no matter Kimimaro's talent, he wasn't able to recognize the real Naruto. When the Narutos were running to him, Kimimaro launched a hundred of small bones, which went through many fake Narutos, and through the right shoulder of the real one.

"Aaaaarggghhhhh!" yelled Naruto, while the fake Narutos disappeared. Kimimaro quickly ran to him, while a bone popped out of his body, which he was going to use as a spear. Sasuke and Sakura quickly ran to stop him.

Sasuke intercepted the trajectory of Kimimaro, did a triple spin and kicked Kimimaro's face with all his strength. He could have hit steel, for all the good it did. Kimimaro kept running and was going to pierce Naruto, when Sakura protected Naruto with her body. However, Kimimaro stopped cold, because what he was watching was not a girl, but Sasuke's body.

Sasuke was surprised by Sakura's perfect idea. Orochimaru didn't want him dead, so Kimimaro couldn't kill him. However, the ability to camouflage the chakra required a lot of chakra control.

"Henge no Jutsu!" Yelled Naruto, and where Naruto was, only the body of Sasuke appeared now "Kage Bunshin!" Yelled then Naruto and thousands of Sasukes materialized.

The real Sasuke stepped in, grabbed Sakura and left the combat, while one hundred Sasukes formed the first wave and covered them.

"If I can't use my right hand, I'll use my left one." yelled Naruto. Around five thousand fake Sasukes using the Rasengan were running towards the demon form of Kimimaro, which had to be careful to not kill any of the Sasukes, in case one of them was the real one. As there were too many of them for Kimimaro to analyze which one was the real one he could only hit them. The second level curse form was slow, because Kimimaro's body wasn't used to it, and very soon Kimimaro was suffering the effects of multiple hits of the Rasengan.

"He has strong armor, but even the Kaguya bloodline ability can't stand the power of the Rasengan for long" predicted Sasuke on top of a tree where he was with Sakura, still transformed in Sasuke

He was right, as very soon Kimimaro was forced to transform back to his original, faster form. He managed to avoid the Rasengan from the Narutos transformed into Sasukes, but just barely.

"Sasuke-kun, he is still too fast, you must help Naruto" said Sakura

"Does he really need my help?" commented with a bitter voice Sasuke.

"Of course he does." said Sakura, and she forced Sasuke to look at her "He is your team-mate, he is your friend, we help each other, remember?"

"Shit! OK!" Said Sasuke, with a smile "If I can't use my right hand, I'll use my left one" he added, repeating Naruto's words. Holding the terrible pain, and in a very awkward way, he managed to make the seals of the chidori.

Sasuke ran towards Kimimaro, with the maximum speed he could do. Easily avoiding the slower fake Sasukes and using them as cover he got closer for his back to his enemy. Kimimaro had been only avoiding fake Sasukes for the longest time, and still he didn't appear to be tired. Sasuke ran to him and struck him, stabbing him, deep in the chest

For a second, just for a second, Sasuke thought he had won. Then he saw Kimimaro's face. He was smiling.

"Shit!" Before Sasuke could move, huge bones popped out Kimimaro and surrounded both of them. His left hand was still trapped inside Kimimaro's body. "You let yourself be hit so you could trap me" said Sasuke in admiration.

"Of course" said Kimimaro, with a weak voice. Sasuke took a long look at him. He was dying. Blood was pouring from his pierced chest. So...

"Why?" Sasuke asked quietly. He didn't try to escape. He couldn't and he didn't want to.

"For Orochimaru-sama" explained Kimimaro. He leaned in on Sasuke, and started whispering on his ear.

* * *

Naruto was worried. Sasuke was trapped inside of those bones. He didn't know what to do to save him. At least the weird bone guy wasn't moving anymore. He was just whispering to Sasuke too low for him to hear 

"We have to get Sasuke out of there!" yelled Sakura

"Why?" He asked. "Sasuke is all right. The guy's just talking"

"That _is_ the problem! We have to help Sasuke!"

Sakura launched herself against the bones, and tried to open a path. The bones reacted and moved against her. Sakura tried to avoid the attack, but she wasn't fast enough, as one of the bones went through her leg.

"Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!" She screamed.

Before Naruto could react, Sasuke had already made his move. Since his left hand was trapped, he took with his fingers of the broken right hand one of the kunais. Since his left hand was trapped, he launched the kunai to the height of the face. Sasuke grabbed it with his teeth, and pushed it against Kimimaro's eye.

Kimimaro didn't protest, he just fell down, while the bones retracted.

"SAKURA!" screamed Sasuke rushing to her.

Sakura managed to smile

"I'm all right Sasuke-kun" she said.

In front of Naruto's eyes, Sasuke's expression changed. At first it had been one of terror, when he had thought that Sakura had been killed. When he saw that she was all right, that it was just a nasty wound in the leg, he changed. His expression turned back quickly to what it usually was: Cold and expressionless.

In a very efficient way, he ripped his own sleeve and put a professional bandage around her leg. He turned around to Kimimaro

Naruto had never hated Sasuke so much in his whole life.

In that moment, Kimimaro got up again, with a kunai hanging from his left eye.

"I should have stabbed you deeper, you white-haired freak" Sasuke said confidently. He was actually scared of this Kimimaro guy. There was no way he could be alive. He had his chest pierced and he had a stabbed eye with a kunai still hanging.

Kimimaro raised an arm

"Orochi..." he fell to his knees "...maru..." his face smashed against the ground "...sama" he burbled. There was silence

Sasuke got close to him, and carefully checked his pulse. There was none.

"Sacrificing his life for Orochimaru. Indeed, what a great servant, a pity there was no great lord" Sasuke commented.

Sasuke straightened the corpse out. He then put his last two kunais on top of him.

"Katon, Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" He yelled, and a great firewall engulfed Kimimaro, burning him completely "Here you can witness the end of a great warrior, last survivor of one of the strongest clans in history" explained Sasuke, as the flames reflected in his onyx eyes. "Don't forget his determination, not his courage."

Sasuke turned around and started to walk, away from Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke had noticed that the injury in Naruto's arm had healed.

Naruto was feeling the anger building. Why did Sasuke always have to act that cool?

"Sasuke-kun!" yelled Sakura

Sasuke stopped. He didn't turn.

"What did that guy tell you?"

"A lot of things, all of them true." Sasuke answered "Also, two interesting things that I'd like to find out. And among the truths" This time he turned "He said that you could have been killed because of me. That was true. So, for now on, stay away from my fights unless I call for your help."

Sakura ran to him.

"What are you saying? You could have been killed!"

"That would be my own business. I don't want anybody else to die."

"But what about us? You want us to see you die!"

"As I said, don't interfere. I never asked for your help." He said

In that moment, Naruto jumped, and smashed his fist against Sasuke's face, which didn't even try to avoid the blow. Sasuke fell down and Naruto jumped on top on him.

"What are you saying, you bastard? You are our friend! We can't let you die!"

"Then _stop_ being my friends." Sasuke ordered.

Naruto's furious cry of rage almost silenced his last word. Naruto started hitting Sasuke over and over, punching his face with true hate. Not stopping even as Sasuke's blood spilled over his own clothes. He only stopped when he heard the sound of Sasuke's nose breaking. Sasuke never even raise an arm to defend himself.

Naruto took a long look at his fists, that were dripping blood. He looked back at Sasuke. His face was bad. Still he had a melancholic smile.

Sasuke pushed Naruto away, and got up with a lot of effort. After Naruto's beating, he could only open one eye. The rest of his face showed the signs of the pounding.

"More Orochimaru's shinobis may still be around. We'll divide in two groups. I'll go alone. If there are more of Orochimaru's men around, they will be after me. Naruto, you go with Sakura. You can defend her better than me, anyway." He said, and there was sourness in his voice.

Naruto launched another cry of rage, and jumped towards Sasuke, that easily avoided this time the blow. He stroke with a perfectly directed kick to Naruto's crotch. Naruto cried and fell to the ground in a fetal position.

"Sorry, but I was tired of being your punching bag" said Sasuke. He turned around and left without even looking back to Sakura

"You... you bastard" said Naruto trying to get up to attack Sasuke again. He was interrupted by Sakura's tears.

"Why?" She cried "Why can't we even have a break? Why?"

Sasuke stopped for a second, just for a second when he heard her crying. After a brief hesitation, he kept walking away.

* * *

* * *

Well, another chapter. I could have titled this chapter. The frustration of Sasuke, because truly, he never gets a break. Although most of the chapter was the fight against Kimimaro, I managed to also write some foreshadowing with Itachi, as well as more conflicting emotions. You can bet something, Itachi is going to be a major character in the story.

Kimimaro was an interesting character. A loyal subject to a Lord that didn't care about him. By the way, I change the description of the story, for another that reflected the actual situation of the story. Do you like it?

For next chapter you can expect a surprising Love triangle, as well as those friendly chats between Sasuke and Tsunade we have all learned to love. While we are at it, why is there so much yaoi about Iruka and Kakashi, when the manga shows VERY clearly that they barely know each other?


	14. Fight the future

**Chapter 14 Fight the future**

"_I'm not interested in my future: I already know it. I'll face off my brother, the person I used to adore, in the middle of a field of fire. Either I'll kill him, or he will kill me. That's it. After that? Well, after that... I... I don't know. You got me there. I haven't thought that far ahead. I guess I could always curl up and die."_

_Uchiha Sasuke_

* * *

Tsunade, fifth Hokage of the Leaf, was hurrying up towards one of the medical rooms, where he had heard that the person responsible for the worst headaches in her short career was currently being treated.

He stepped inside without even knocking. Sasuke had his hand bandaged, but the most visible damages came from the head. The person treating him was Chimi. A nice boy, but he was bound to make more harm than anything. Not that it would be a great loss.

"Hi, Sasuke-_chan_" she said, dismissing the other doctor with a wave of her hand, and starting healing on her own "Your wife is beating you already? I think there is a shelter for battered wives in the village."

"Tsunade-_sama_, your concern is so overwhelming I feel like crying. Pity that I don't have time. I have to inform about something important."

Tsunade glared at him, while she tended his wounds, wondering what he was going to say now

"These wounds were made by Kaguya Kimimaro, one of Orochimaru's henchmen. He came to try to convince me to join the Sound. I also had another visit. The Sound Four, Orochimaru's elite guard. They tried to convince me to go with them three days ago. I acted as if I agreed, and later I also killed them."

Tsunade was speechless by his words. What was Sasuke planning now? She already knew everything about the Sound Four, but the Kimimaro guy was new.

"Two ANBU members have already died" continued Sasuke, and there was sadness in his voice "So I formally request my dismissal from Team 7. If Orochimaru keeps sending shinobis more people could die."

Tsunade couldn't for the life of her figure out Sasuke. One day he was planning on betraying the Leaf, and the next second he feels all sad about two ANBU he didn't even know.

"Sasuke, are you saying that you have been dealing with the Sound Four, and you didn't inform the Leaf? You could be accused of treason for dealing with the enemy."

"I just knew that you wouldn't believe me since you would expecting me to go to Orochimaru for power to defeat my brother. I decided to kill them, to prove my loyalty to the Leaf." He said with an innocent voice.

Tsunade, Hokage of the Leaf, had just decided something: Uchiha Sasuke was an utter, complete, absolute son of a bitch. He had, somehow, found out that they had witnessed his rendezvous with the Sound, and he was actually using for his advantage. She didn't believe him, and he knew she didn't believe him. Worse, he knew that she knew that he was lying. However, there was no proof. If he were to bring now the case for prosecution, it would be rejected. She had just been appointed Hokage, and if he were to execute the last survivor of one of the founding clans of the Leaf without proof, many people would fear her. Using ANBU to restrict his movements had already proven fruitless.

The worse part, this son of bitch knew it.

She could try using a dangerous hand: Telling bits of real information that the spies of the Leaf had recently uncovered

"You don't have to worry about Orochimaru. I can't tell you why, but he won't be interested in you for a few years. Three of Four, I think"

Sasuke didn't say anything for a few seconds. He appeared to be deep in thought.

"In that case" said Sasuke "I request for Uchiha Sakura to be dismissed from Team 7. According to the S–Criminal, Uchiha Itachi, a statement that can be confirmed by Jiraiya, one of the Three Sannins, the organization Akatsuki, which he belongs to, is trying to abduct Naruto. If she stays with us she is in danger."

«Bingo», thought Tsunade. Finally he got to the point. He was afraid for Sakura. Apparently, the pink-haired girl was Sasuke's only weak point. Well, she could use that.

"I refuse the request. We would go crazy if we acted just in fear every time there is a threat. You shouldn't underestimate so much Sakura, Sasuke-kun. She has a lot of talent."

"Underestimating her?" asked Sasuke. "Hokage-sama, I am not underestimating her. I am just not overestimating her. I would say the same for everybody else, including you, Hokage-sama. Uchiha Itachi killed the strongest clan of the Leaf in one night. If he were on a rampage today, do you think the whole Leaf village would be enough to stop him?"

The question lingered on the air, as there was no answer that Tsunade could give.

"In that case, you should stop chasing him. He is just too strong, and the sacrifices you would need to make to reach him are too great. It will only end in tragedy." She said, after deciding to use the good-advice card

Sasuke smiled and looked to the window

"Today I killed a man. He was the last survivor of the Kaguya clan. Would you like to hear a true tragic story? The Kaguya clan was a made of proud warriors, people that were too damn proud to ever back down from a fight, too proud to pledge their liberty to any country. However, times were changing, and countries and Hidden Villages were becoming stronger, and truly free people could not be left alone. Eventually, they Kaguya clan chose to ally with the Hidden Mist Village to survive."

Sasuke sighed and light a cigarette.

"You smoke?" asked Tsunade, who had just finished doing what a doctor could. The rest of the healing process was a matter of time.

"Only in funerals" answered Sasuke "This one is for Kimimaro."

"Then you are bound to smoke a _lot_ before your life is over" said Tsunade

Sasuke smiled and continued his story.

"The Kaguya clan tried to keep their free spirit, even if had pledged loyalty to the Mist. However, the strict rules and regulations of the Mist were against that spirit. Shinobis were, and still are, supposed to be tools for the village, nothing else. Eventually, the Kaguyas couldn't stand the fate of shinobis, and they rebelled. Together and proud, they faced the immense superiority of the Hidden Mist, and were all slaughtered. They couldn't stand the coming of the new times, but at least they died proud. Still, the last survivor of this proud clan chose to live and die for Orochimaru."

"And the point is?" asked Tsunade

"There is no point. I just told one boring, pointless, tragic story. Still, I'd like to know the reason he chose Orochimaru. Even at the end, he was glad he was dying for his master"

"It sounds as it is _you_ that is interested in Orochimaru" warned Tsunade. Sasuke smiled.

"I guess. Out of the three Sannins, Orochimaru is truly the most interesting. No offense, but Jiraiya is a porno writer, and you were a known gambler and spent your time drinking and gambling for the last ten years, before you were chosen as Hokage. Orochimaru created a Hidden Village where there was nothing."

Tsunade was glaring intensely at him.

"The way you are talking, it sounds as treason."

Sasuke smiled.

"What are you talking about? I just said Orochimaru is remarkable. Nothing else. If it were treason, I wouldn't be saying it to you, Hokage-sama" He smiled again, that innocent and fake smile. Tsunade was seriously thinking of strangling him, and to hell with the consequences.

"Do you know why is he so interested in you?" She suddenly said, still glaring at Sasuke

"No" he simply said. There was something in his voice that made Tsunade shake. There was something wrong.

"He wants your body." She said, waiting for Sasuke to start asking what the hell she was talking about.

"Yeah, I already noticed he was a little pederast." commented Sasuke without missing a beat.

Tsunade was surprised, but still she persisted.

"He wants your body. He has developed an Immortality Jutsu, where he can transfer his spirit to a new body when the old one is damaged. However, he needs a fresh body, and the original owner doesn't survive the transfer."

Sasuke was silent for just a few seconds

"So, that's the reason he was so interested in me." He commented.

"That's right, he wants you. Or actually, he wants your bloodline, the Uchiha bloodline." She said, raising her voice, hoping to get a reaction out of him.

"What a pity. I thought he loved me, but he was just after my body" Sasuke said with sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Well, so if it's like that, I have decided that I'll keep on rejecting him, as I have done before" Tsunade glared at him. What was wrong with Sasuke? He should be surprised, or scared, and maybe he was. Still, his face wasn't showing any emotions, just a small smile. Wasn't Uchiha Sasuke supposed to never smile, just to smirk?

"Well, thanks for the information. It has been a pleasure. Bye" he said, and there was a lot of satisfaction in his voice. Immediately Tsunade instinctively knew, in the funny way instincts work, telling the entire conclusion, without bothering to explain to process that led to it, that she had been led by the nose into his scheme.

"You can't tell this information to anybody!" Almost yelled Tsunade "If shinobis started knowing that Orochimaru has the secret of Immortality, the number of missing-nins would exponentially increase."

Sasuke shrugged as he left

"If I were immortal, I would have to kill myself" he said, almost to himself, as he left.

Tsunade saw him getting away. She was worried. First, she hadn't meant to talk about Orochimaru's secret jutsu. Also, she was worried because Sasuke was no fool. Sure, he had an ego the size of a mountain, he had a brother complex and he was obsessed with power to kill his brother, but he was also very smart. How come he had then started praising Orochimaru? That had been a very stupid move of him, but it had somehow moved her to start talking about the Immortality jutsu. Was that his plan all along? No, impossible, he couldn't know it.

* * *

"_Uchiha Sasuke, if you go to Orochimaru-sama, he will take your body. Your desires will be his desires. He will be the one with the duty to kill Itachi, and you will know no more pain" said a dying Kimimaro_

Sasuke exhaled the smoke outside the building. He had been nervous with the whole trap he had set for Tsunade. Sure, he had wanted Sakura to be safe, but after his request was refused, he had tried to bait the Hokage, saying how much he admired Orochimaru and even saying the Kaguya story to distract her, to find out the truth

So, the story of Kimimaro was true. Orochimaru had really developed a jutsu to take over the bodies of people. The rest of the story was probably true too. It was... tempting, surprisingly tempting. No more pain, no more suffering. Everything would end

"_You have to try to be happy" said Sakura_

Sasuke smashed hard the cigarette with his foot, and walked to his next destination.

* * *

"Hurry up, baka" yelled Sakura "We have to buy snacks"

"Why? Just bring ramen" answered Naruto

* * *

"_Uchiha Sasuke, do you think you have the right to marry? You are just Itachi's prey, and if stay married, Itachi will target your wife" said Kimimaro, the second thing that he needed to find out._

The skull's empty sockets were staring at Sasuke, which was staring back. The skull was human but very small. It probably had belonged to a small child, even a baby. Why anybody would like to keep a skull was anybody's guess. The room was dark, and there was like an oppressive feeling in it.

"Do you like my grandchild, young Uchiha?" asked a coarse voice

Sasuke turned to the owner of the voice: An old woman that also had two empty sockets was the eyes should be. The rest of the face had multiple scars.

"I never said my name, nor did I speak a word. How do you know it's me? Kikkyo-san"

Kikkyo laughed. It was a revolting sound, made by a toothless mouth.

"The reason I know your name is the same reason you came to me, isn't it?"

"My father spoke about you." Explained Sasuke "He said you had an amazing ability: The power to predict the future. He also said that many people went to you, but the price you asked was always too much."

"Your father, hai. He was a good man. He came to me because he was worried about his son. Out of the many possibilities that his future offered, one of them, not the most probable, was that he was going to be killed by his own son. I could have told him that, but he refused to pay the price."

Sasuke was silent for a second, and when he spoke, there was a dangerous edge in his voice

"You knew he was going to die? You knew it and you let him die!"

"Poor, foolish Uchiha. Do you believe the future is a straight course? There are multiple paths that the future can take. My cursed ability is to see all those paths, and see which ones are the most probable. For example, I can see the future your life would have taken if your sensei had not came back the night of the full moon. Yet he came back, he saw you speaking with the Four Sound, and your whole future went in a different way"

Sasuke bit his lip. This Kikkyo knew everything. She was dangerous, but he had made a small background check before coming. Apparently, nobody ever came to her house, except her son-in-law, that didn't even bother to listen to her. He would try to play his cards right and find out a vital piece of information. He would have to risk it

"I don't care about the past. I came to ask you about the future. But first I want to know the cost. What is it what you want?"

"What I want? I want a head. I want to hold the head of a demon. I want to spit to the head of the Kyuubi, the monster that destroyed my family."

Sasuke wondered if he had made the right choice, dealing with a mad woman

"I don't want to correct you but, wasn't the Kyuubi destroyed years ago?"

The woman laughed again. Sasuke decided that the woman was indeed crazy.

"I had the talent of predicting the future since I was very young" said Kikkyo "A rough very little polished talent. So I felt that the Hidden village of the Leaf was in danger from the Kyuubi. I tried to flee, but we met the Kyuubi in the way. My two children and my little granddaughter died in front of me. My own eyes were lost that day. I totally developed my powers the day when the future lost any meaning. Destiny is a cruel and sarcastic master."

"I can't give you the head of a monster already dead, Kikkyo-san. Not to mention it was too big to fit in this room. Is there any other price I could give?"

Kikkyo laughed again. Sasuke noticed that this time he seemed to be laughing _at_ him. Had he said anything wrong?

"To you, young Uchiha, I'll let you know the answer to your question for free, since there are many of your paths that end up with you watching the dead body of the Kyuubi. I'll answer only one of the many questions you have"

Sasuke was already totally sure that the woman should be in a mental hospital. The Kyuubi had been destroyed years ago, everybody knew that, and he wasn't planning on developing a time-travel jutsu. Still, it was worth a try to see if her powers were real

"I have something that I wish to know" started Sasuke

"Actually, there are a lot of things that you wonder. Why did your brother kill your whole family?"

"I don't care about it. Maybe he was just mad with my parents because his curfew was too early. Maybe all children go to a phase when they want to kill their parents. Maybe it was a really complicated reason, which I'm not fit to understand. For all I care, maybe he was bored. I don't know, and I don't give a shit. I am going to kill him."

"You are also wondering something about your wife. Is she pregnant? Is the doubt that made you stay in the Leaf true or false?"

"I'll know the answer with just time." answered Sasuke. "I am not going to waste my only answer in that."

"You are even asking yourself about the one you call only to yourself your best friend, one that survived when my children were destroyed. You wonder about his mysterious power."

"I am curious, but not enough to waste my time in idle speculation."

"You are also subconsciously wondering something, but your conscious mind still can't even think about it"

"So you even know about the questions I don't know I have?" Asked Sasuke without a trace of humor "Can you read the future and tell me which question I have?"

"There are multiple paths you can take. But in not one of them you ask about your own destiny."

"I'm not interested in my destiny, because I already know it. I am going to face off Itachi sooner or later, and I am going to kill him or die trying." He said, offering his hands to the woman "My question is another. Even if you only can see possibilities and possible futures, you could still see a pattern. My question is this: Will Itachi ever attack Sakura?"

The woman took Sasuke's hands while he laughed, a laugh that was uglier than ever.

"So, that's what you want. That's so noble of you, young Uchiha!" She said with scorn "You care so much about your loved one that you are afraid that the killer of your family will go back to continue his job."

"Who said she is my loved one?" He countered "I just don't want anybody to die. That's all."

The woman looked at his direction, and Sasuke was not able to keep the gaze of the empty sockets.

"What would you say if I were to say yes?"

"I'd take measures to hide our marriage, and I would leave the Leaf immediately. No more delay, no more planning."

The woman was silent, and Sasuke had the feeling that she wasn't even listening. She was maybe too busy contemplating in his bloodstained hands the different futures his paths had.

Sasuke kneeled down and waited for a long time, while the woman concentrated. He was almost dozing off when finally the woman smiled. The first non-vicious smile he had seen coming from her.

"So young, and so much suffering..." she said with a hint of admiration.

"What is the answer?"

"You don't have to worry" she said, and her voice was honest "Itachi had his own reasons to slaughter your clan, but he will never target Sakura. I have seen all the possible futures, and in none of them she is targeted."

"That's good" said Sasuke, and for the first time since he had fought with Kimimaro, he smiled with a relaxed smile "That's good."

"Don't forget to bring me the head of the Kyuubi, Sasuke-kun" she said, and her voice was cracking again.

Sasuke decided to leave. The woman was reliable, indeed, except with her fantasies of the Nine-Tails demon. Hell, even kindergartens knew how the Fourth had sacrificed his life to destroy the Kyuubi

"_Sensei" said Sasuke that had raised his hand. He didn't give a shit about school anymore, but he _had_ to be the best, just as his brother was. "When was the date that the Fourth destroyed the Kyuubi. It doesn't appear in the textbook"_

"_Well..." said his sensei, which suddenly had a nervous look in his face "I don't remember now. I'll look into it and I'll tell you later."_

_Sasuke thought about pointing out that he had said the same thing last week, but after a few seconds, decided to let it drop. None of his business._

Sasuke was silent while he left the house shrouded in darkness. Behind him, the woman was laughing.

She laughed for a long time, and the laugh was uglier than ever.

* * *

Sasuke reached his house, and met Sakura that was carrying some snacks. They stood silent, looking at each other, until Sasuke lowered his head in shame. He still remembered that he had made her cry

"Did you find out what Kimimaro told you?" She asked

"Aa" he said with a weak voice

"We are having the party now" said Sakura with a firm voice. "Are you coming?"

"All right" said Sasuke, but still he didn't move, looking for a nice thing to tell her. "Sakura... you... you are ugly when you cry."

He heard her backing down when she heard his words, and he kept speaking

"So, please, don't cry. If I make you want to cry… hit me, punch me or whatever. But please, don't cry."

She stood, and still Sasuke didn't dare to raise his head, until he felt her hand holding his chin and raising it

"Sasuke, I'll promise you I'll never cry again" she said

Sasuke smiled, and Sakura didn't let go of the hand

"Sakura..."

"HEY, GUYS!" yelled Naruto. Immediately Sakura and Sasuke looked away from each other "I BROUGHT SAKE!"

Both of them looked sharply at him

"Baka! We can't drink sake! We are under age!"

"Ahhhh, come on. Just two cups. Just the three of us."

"The three of us?" Yelled Sasuke, as some images appeared in his head. He looked at Sakura that was blushing too.

They stared at each other, each of them redder than a tomato. He thought that she looked funny, and couldn't control his smile. She smiled too. Eventually, Sakura started to laugh, and before Sasuke could control himself, he found himself laughing too.

He stopped. He realized that he couldn't remember the last time he had laughed. He laughed even higher than before, as Sakura, while Naruto looked at them with a surprised look

Sasuke then remembered what Kimimaro had told him, the last thing that he had said, and he tried, unsuccessfully, to push it to the back of his mind

"_Uchiha Sasuke, do you have the right to be happy?"_

He thought that maybe that was the last time he laughed, and so, he laughed even higher than before.

However, this time his laugh was emptier than before.


	15. Love Triangle

**Chapter 15 Love Triangle**

_W-Who do I like? W-Well. I... I like... Well, I like s-somebody. Y-Hai, I r-really like s-somebody. W-Who? Well, I... I l-like... N-N-N... N-Na... N-Na-Na... S-Sorry, I h-have to leave_

_Hyuga Hinata_

* * *

Sasuke woke up, and noticed that he was in his bed, but that he wasn't alone. They had their party, but he was very tired afterwards. After Naruto had left, he had gone straight to bed, and before he knew it, Sakura had followed him. 

He had thought about telling her that it was definitely not a good idea for them to sleep together. Even if nothing were to happen between them. Still, there was a fact he couldn't deny: When he was with her, he didn't have nightmares. However, there was the risk that the bond between them grew stronger, and he couldn't allow it. He was an avenger; he didn't have time for himself. He didn't have the right, like Kimimaro had pointed out.

Sasuke stood up and looked at her adorable face. He couldn't let this go on. He had to act. He had to use his determination to stop this relation that was doomed from the start. That was it. He would act far more coldly around her. Eventually, she would get tired of him. If she wasn't pregnant, he would leave. She wouldn't be too saddened.

Sasuke smirked, satisfied with himself since at least there was a plan to follow. He went to the bathroom for a quick shower. The shock came when he saw Sakura's toothbrush near his. _His_ bathroom apparently had become _their_ bathroom.

After a few minutes, he heard Sakura waking up too.

"Good morning" she said with a smile

"Morning" he said, and he noticed too late that he was smiling. Shit! Sakura was really the most annoying woman in the world.

He had to sit down while Sakura quickly took charge of the kitchen, which was now formerly his, preparing their breakfast. She started talking about the party. Sasuke was silent, this time refusing to speak, while he told himself that the plan was already in motion. Eventually Sakura stopped talking, but she was still smiling to him. Her smiles were almost worse than her kind words.

He thought about telling her that he didn't love her, but he had already said it with disastrous results. He settled in being silent all the way through the rest of the day, including the training.

Thirteen hours later, the training had ended. It had been a lot of hard work, and Sasuke wanted nothing more that to return to his house.

"Sasuke-kun, let's go home" said Sakura.

"No" he replied with the usual one word answer, and went the opposite direction.

* * *

Itachi was annoyed with Kisame's weaknesses. He was waiting in a park, close to the beginning of the red district, where Kisame had gone to relieve himself of "travel-stress". They were supposed to meet with the rest of Akatsuki to discuss the change in strategy, and there he was, wasting his time. 

He had rejected the offer of Kisame to go with him. To indulge in that kind of inane activities was not only frivolous, but also dangerous, because in the lovemaking process, there were multiple moments when openings were made. In his line of business, those openings could be very easily death traps.

He was the perfect warrior, because he never left any openings. That was the reason that he knew there were some annoying flies around.

He had started feeling them ten minutes ago. His Sharingan eyes saw everything. First it had been a couple that walked hand to hand. They seemed normal; they wore elegant clothes, and didn't look like the type at all to do manual labor, except their fingertips were too callous, too much for normal people, but normal for shinobis. They had started making out under a tree, close to him, but he could see that they were shy about it, like if they were not used to it.

Next it had been the old couple that had arrived and sat in a bench. They acted as if the old man was tired, but his breathing was normal. Finally, a woman had been walking with a young kid and they had sit next to him. That had been probably the worst mistake, because the kid was too cocky, and he had actually looked at him, sizing him up. That was the problem with shinobi kids; they were always too brash, thinking everybody could die except for them.

Their six enemies, who were still hiding their true nature, had put him in the middle of a triangle. He didn't make a move. He could kill them in one second, but he decided to wait to more people to show up. It would be easier if all the people tracking him were in one place.

The seventh one came.

"Howdy, sir. You seem the sturdy traveler type. You probably often need medicines. This medication has immediate effects on contusions and fractures." The man that had suddenly appeared started in a perfect salesman smooth talk.

It was actually pathetic, Itachi decided. The athletic way he moved immediately singled him out as some kind of fighter. The silent way he walked, letting the air flow around him was proof that he was more likely a shinobi.

"You should keep it for yourself. You are going to need it more than me."

"Why do you say that? I'm just a normal street-seller."

"You try to be" Itachi softly said. "But even if you dress like one, there is something you can't hide: The stink of blood. No matter how many times you wash, it attaches to your body, and you can't let it go. I'm guessing you have killed around one hundred people"

The salesman just smiled. It was the smile of a predator.

"So, your sharingan eyes also allow you to smell blood?"

"Just superior Shinobi abilities. The kind of abilities you will never get."

"You are being kind of unfair, _Itachi-san_" smiled the salesman, showing that he knew who he was. The other six shinobis had already completely surrounded Itachi, and were getting closer. "I can't smell blood, but I am really good at guessing the number of victims, as soon as I see their killer."

"Aa" Itachi said, not interested. He could feel the other shinobis still getting closer, ready to jump on him.

"When I see you, I easily guess the number of your victims is around fifty times my own number, including of course, your whole clan" the anger of the voice was increasing, Itachi noticed. A Shinobi should never show his feelings, but the hate and the intent to kill of this one was pouring out of him. It reminded him of his little brother. "Including, of course, Ayanotsuke. Uchiha Ayanotsuke. Do you actually remember her? Her, and her little brother Shimpei?"

Itachi finally understood the identity of his enemies: Leaf's Hunter-nins. If they came to him knowing his reputation, they were probably good. They would be suitable as a way to mitigate the boredom. He tried to remember about that Ayanotsuke. He had a photographical memory, but he had barely thought about his former clan for years. He could also feel the shinobis grabbing his hidden weapons. They were ready to attack

"Hai, I remember her." He finally said. "After I killed her parents I entered her house. She was in the door of the room of her baby brother holding a kunai. She was willing to die protecting him." He coldly looked around him, looking to the shinobis that were ready to strike, and back to their leader "I killer her. Next I went to the cradle, and I killed the baby."

The six shinobis were professionals. They didn't react at all. The seventh one was emitting an intense intent to kill. He was too involved. He would leave this one for last.

"She was my girlfriend. You killer her! You, bastard! SHE WAS PREGNANT!"

"Aa." Itachi said, bored. "If you leave now, I won't chase you."

"NOW!" He screamed

Itachi smiled

* * *

"NOW!" said a voice, and then some battle noises. Kisame, who had been very satisfied with himself after strangling the whore, turned around. There were some bushes, and behind them something had happened. He went around them and looked 

There were some bodies that had been disemboweled and hacked. He had to count the heads to realize there were six corpses. Still, that was not that frightening.

There was another one still alive, but his arms had been hacked off. He was looking with a mixture of hate and fear to the one standing over him while he bled to death. Still, it was not that frightening.

Itachi had one foot on the shinobi. He was smiling. The smile was wicked. _That_ was frightening

"I didn't get your name. Well, doesn't matter." said Itachi. He made some seals, and fire came from his mouth to the two stumps of the fallen shinobi. The shinobi screamed, while the hemorrhage was contained as the wounds were seared.

"In the long days to come, and endless nights, remember that the reason you are alive, is because I chose it. Hate yourself for being weak" He said. He grabbed the shinobi and punched him down unconscious.

Itachi looked down on the shinobi. He looked up at Kisame who jumped.

"Kisame, let's go. Someone is bound to come sooner or later. Hunter-nins have usually a medic with them to retrieve the bodies after the battle and heal the wounded." Itachi said, and his face was back at normal.

Kisame just stared at the massacre. He had just realized that the massacre had taken place from the moment he heard the "NOW" to the moment the noises finished... barely a few seconds. Was Itachi human?

"What are you waiting for?" said Itachi, and there was a little annoyance in his voice

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, I was just... Never mind" Stuttered Kisame. Itachi was the only one that had the ability to make him stutter. Itachi was usually very easy-going and he never complained about anything. However he could never figure out what was the red-eyed shinobi thinking.

They took off, moving quietly but fast, hiding their trail. It was one week later, close to the date when the Akatsuki were meeting, when Kisame finally dared to strike a conversation with Itachi

"Itachi... the hunter-nins you killed some days ago..."

"Aa?"

"Why did you let one of them alive?" said Kisame. If Itachi didn't want to answer, he would not insist.

"Because he annoyed me" Itachi said.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just kill him?"

"That's the reason you are stupid." said Itachi. Kisame had killed people for lesser insults, but he knew better than to retort to him "If you kill, it's the end. If you let him off alive, every second of his life will be hell. He will be haunted by regret and nightmares, as there are things worse than death. I reserve them for people that bother me."

"He can kill himself"

"He can't" said Itachi speaking to him like if he were talking to a five-year old child "He needs to be alive to hate me."

Kisame thought about Itachi's brother

"Itachi, do you hate your brother?" He asked. He immediately regretted it. Itachi had never spoken about him. If Itachi didn't want to talk about it, he shouldn't be the one bringing him up, for his own security.

"My brother?" Itachi asked. He smiled. That was the first time Kisame had seen that nice, curious smile in Itachi's face. He didn't even know Itachi could smile like that. He wouldn't have believed if anybody had told him about it. "To hate your own brother. Can there be anything more pointless and tragic?"

Itachi walked on, while Kisame stood, too curious to not consider asking about it, and too smart to risk angering Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

If anybody asked Sasuke why he was training in the middle of the night, he would have answered that a shinobi should always train in different kinds of settings including, of course, in the night. If anybody asked him if he didn't want to return to his house, he would have said that that was a very stupid question. That was _his_ house. Nothing would get him away from it 

So, long after midnight, he was still training. He was running around a hanging and moving log, with only the light of a far away torch to allow him to see it. He was throwing shurikens with lethal precision.

The plan was moving smoothly. He only had to be cold to Sakura for a few months. Sakura would eventually get fed up with him. The chances that she got pregnant after just one night weren't that big, anyway. He would leave and nobody would really miss him.

Still, there were other things that were bothering him. What was that question that he didn't even know he had? Shit, going to that old woman had given him more questions than answers. What was the deal with the Kyuubi? Wasn't it dead?

"H-Hi"

Sasuke span around, all shurikens at the ready, adopting a battle stance for pure instinct. The one that had gotten close without him even noticing was a young shinobi with pure, white eyes.

"H-Hi, S-Sa-Sasuke-kun" said Hyuga Hinata, from the Hyuga clan.

"Hey" he said. It wasn't any of his business, but she appeared to be really sad.

They fell silent. Sasuke looked at her. What did she want with him? He and she were not friends. They were just classmates. He couldn't recall a single time they had spoken with each other. Well, neither of them liked to talk, anyway.

Even if they both did, it was unlikely they had anything to talk about. She belonged to the Hyuga clan; he belonged to the Uchiha clan, period. Sure, Hinata was a nice enough girl, but she belonged to the clan that had acted really fast to claim itself as the strongest ever in the Leaf, after the Uchiha clan was destroyed, and therefore not around to prove they were the strongest. Not to mention, that the Uchiha and the Hyuga clan shared a bloody history together. Not to mention that the Uchiha Tragedy stemmed from the conflict between the Uchiha and the Hyuga clans.

"H-How are y-you doing?" She said shyly.

"Fine" he just said.

They both fell silent again. Sasuke had to admit that out of all the women in the world, it was a good thing he had married Sakura. If he were to marry Hinata, any children they would have would not learn to speak in ten years at least.

Hinata was still staring at him, but she lowered her head whenever he looked at her. He tried to concentrate on shuriken-throwing again, but after five near-misses, he gave up

"What do you want?" He asked angrily. Why everybody conspired to not let him alone?

"I h-heard you w-were w-wo-wounded" she stuttered shyly

"Hai" he just said. Damn the Hokage for telling everybody. Actually, his hand had hurt for the whole day, not too mention his face. Still he was too damn proud to confess.

"D-Do you w-want this ointment? I-I ma-made it myself" she said.

"Sure" he said after carefully thinking about it. He usually would reject that offer, but it was Hinata that she was offering to him. Surely there were no strings attached. Everybody in the class knew that the one Hinata liked was Naruto. Well, everybody but the idiot himself. It wasn't like she managed to hide it. Naruto was just an idiot.

Sasuke looked up. Hinata was offering him the ointment but she wasn't moving. He sighed, muttering against all weak shy people in the world. He got closer to her. She lowered her eyes while he took it. Sasuke had the time to take a good look at her. She looked really unhappy.

"You OK?" He asked. She didn't answer, she just nodded.

Sasuke sighed. Hinata was taking her shyness two steps too far. It was that dove's fault. Hinata looked even more miserable each second, not even raising her eyes. Shit, he had to train. He had to get rid of her.

"Hey, listen" said Sasuke, looking for something nice to say "Why don't you come over to my house tomorrow? I'll invite Naruto too, and you two can talk a little bit" Great, great, just fucking great. Now he was concerned about Naruto's love life. Why did she appear to be even worse now? Hell, he was trying to be nice here. He hadn't been this nice in years.

"S-Sasuke-kun" she said, with her eyes closed, wherefrom you could guess some tears "I l-l-lo-love you"

His first reaction was to feel the need to smash his head against something. His second and third reactions were the same. Why was she crying? He was the one that was suffering the harassment! Finally, he calmed down, and looked for an excuse.

"Sorry, I like someone else." He said, and the expression in Hinata's face appeared to be one of relief. Or was it pain?

"S-Sorry!" Hinata said, and ran away.

Sasuke sighed. What the hell was that? Could it be that she had faked her feelings for Naruto to hide her true feelings for him? No, that was ridiculous. Maybe she had realized she was in love with him after he married, and that was the reason she looked so sad? No way! Shit! That was too much melodrama!

Sasuke tried to concentrate again on shuriken-throwing again, but he still couldn't get his head out of another question. He had other girls confessing her feelings to him. He had always rejected them. Still, that was the first time he had said that sentence "I like someone else" What had he meant for that?

Well, it was actually a good idea. It he had just rejected her, she could have come back later. The excuse was perfect.

Why was that the first time he had used that excuse?

Seventeen misses, later, Sasuke decided that he had to go to his house, even if it were just because he couldn't find missed shurikens in the dark.

He walked as a shinobi, in total silence. He entered the Uchiha's compound, and for the first time in a long time, he thought it was really depressing. He could feel the spirits of all the dead people who had died on the streets glaring at him, the last survivor. The streets were totally silent. Sasuke knew it was not because the people in the houses were sleeping. It was because they were dead.

He entered his house in silence, hoping not to awake Sakura. She was there, sleeping in the couch with the lights on. She had probably been waiting for him and fallen asleep.

Sasuke sighed while debating with himself if leaving her there or taking her to their room.

Their room. That was rich. It was supposed to be his room. No. His plans insisted that the love, crush, or whatever silly emotion Sakura was feeling for him had to be gradually erased.

Still he couldn't leave her like that. She could catch a cold, even if he left a blanket with her.

Sasuke lifted her and tried to carefully take her to _her_ room, or where she was supposed to sleep. He decided to train more about sneakiness when she wrapped her arms around him. He stood still for a few seconds while she awoke, and the thoughts that this position wasn't that bad slipped through his defences. He let her down

"Sorry, I fell asleep" she mumbled.

"It's late. Let's go to sleep" he said.

"Hold down, Sasuke-kun. Please, use this" she said as she gave him a cream.

He looked at her surprised. His hand had hurt during training, but he had been sure that he had hidden his pain for everybody. She was more observant than what he had given credit for.

"It's not necessary. It doesn't hurt" he lied.

"Just let me use it on you now" she said "It's going to hurt more tomorrow"

"I don't care" and this time he wasn't lying.

"The thing is, Sasuke, I do care" she said.

Sasuke gave up and let her do whatever she wanted. He had already decided to put in motion his plans.

When they went to bed together, she waited until her respiration confirmed that she was fully asleep. He slipped to the guest's room. It was just the first step, but a necessary one. The bond between them couldn't grow stronger. It shouldn't. He didn't have the right to love her. It was just the way things had to be.

He closed the eyes...

They fought. Under the Red Moon they fought. Inside a storm of flames they fought. On a pool of blood, they fought. Surrounded by corpses, which Sasuke didn't have time to identify, they fought. Using his skills which he had perfected with Orochimaru, they fought. Sharingan eyes following each other's movements, they fought. Fire and water, earth and wind, they fought. Feelings exploding, they fought. Hate released, they fought.

Itachi was strong, but Sasuke of the Sound had sacrificed his whole life, his past, present and future for that fight.

Finally, Itachi turned and tried to flee.

Sasuke laughed, and ran. Using one of the corpses as protection, he went through the flames, and stabbed Itachi from behind with the Chidori. Blood poured from the mortal wound as his hated brother staggered and fell.

Sasuke laughed, free, at least. He had become a demon, he had turned against everything he loved for revenge, but it was done. He had killed him.

He turned around, and he saw that the corpse he had used as protection was actually Sakura's. He screamed.

He looked at his brother. He saw that the one he had killed wasn't Itachi. It was his own face the one that lay lifeless on the ground. He screamed.

He looked at a mirror, and he saw his true face. It was the face of Itachi. He screamed.

He was still screaming when someone hugged him. It was Sakura, which was still alive. He hugged her fiercely. He needed a few seconds to understand that it had all been a nightmare. Feeling ashamed with himself, he tried to pull away, but Sakura wouldn't let him.

"Go away. I don't need you" he weakly said.

"I do need you" Sakura said. That sentence broke all Sasuke's reasoning. She did? That was bad. It was his fault that her parents didn't even want to talk to her. It was his fault that they had slept together the other night.

Sasuke finally laid back, with Sakura still hugging him. After a few seconds, she had already fallen asleep.

Sasuke sighed. The next day. The next day he would find out about Hyuga Hinata's strange attitude. The next day he would be really cold to her. The next day he would put his plans in motion and she would eventually give up on him. The next day he would be the Avenger again.

Just that day, he would relax just for that day.

Sasuke, with his conscience waning put his arm around Sakura. He fell asleep.

* * *

"This brand of kunais is expensive, but they have seals wrapped around the handle. As soon as they are thrown, they explode in contact with any surface. They are ideal for setting traps." explained the salesman 

"I'll take five" said Sasuke, who intended to develop a combo with them. "Could you put them in a box?"

"Sure. Are they for a present?"

Sasuke thought about it, and he answered, with far more words than he usually did, a usual occurrence lately

"Hai, they are a present for an idiot. He got drunk, and slept together with a girl who wasn't even her girlfriend. They had to marry the next day." He smiled "Do you find it funny?"

The salesman looked at him with a confused look.

"Well... Not really."

"Neither do I" confirmed Sasuke. He thought about the Sound Four "Neither do I." and after a few seconds, he repeated. "Neither do I."

He started to think about the words of that crazy witch, especially about the comment about the question he didn't even know he had. The sense of humour of the Sound Four had saved his life. Why was he so bothered by their laugh?

His trail of thoughts was interrupted when he saw a girl waiting for him outside the shop. A girl that had occupied a long series of thoughts that day

He walked towards her

"Hi Hinata" he said

"H-Hi" She didn't even raise her eyes. Her white pupils were red with dried tears. He raised her chin and looked straight at her eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked.

* * *

* * *

* * *

Well, this is it. Next chapter in the saga. I promised a love triangle, didn't I? And what is Sasuke doing with Hinata!

Also, I gave you a Itachi appearance for all the Itachi's fans out there. In a way, whichever girl that ends up with Sasuke also has to deal with a love triangle, because Itachi is always present in Sasuke's life. Everything he is, everything he desires, it returns back to Itachi and the massacre of the Red Moon - hey, cool name! ;) – He can't even have a friend because of the curse Itachi placed on him. Itachi is like part of Sasuke's genes.

Many people praised the dreams sequences I wrote, so


	16. Old Feuds

**Chapter 16 Old Feuds.**

_Choji, I think our parents are glad that we are friends. They commented that the Akimichi clan and the Nara clan have been allied for centuries, and so we should follow the tradition_

_How troublesome!_

_Nara Shikamaru_

* * *

"Can I kiss you?" the words had resonated in Hinata's head, and at first she hadn't even noticed he had said them. Only after a few seconds had passed she fully understood them. She lowered her head even more.

"What is your answer?" Sasuke insisted.

"I-I N-N-N H-Hai" she finally said, although she was shaking her head.

Sasuke was silent for a few seconds, still holding her chin. He pushed her against the wall, not too hard, but not too gentle either.

"Very well" He said.

He lowered his head, getting closer at her. He stopped. Hinata had closed her eyes. Sasuke got even closer, with his lips almost touching hers. At that distance he could clearly see the new tears that were coming from her eyes. After a few seconds, still keeping the short distance between them, he moved her chin and moved his lips to her ear.

"Bitch!" He said, adding all the possible venom in his voice.

Hinata opened her eyes, only to be glared at by Sharingan pupils.

"Is this your way of playing a game? What the fuck are you plotting?"

Hinata automatically lowered her eyes, but Sasuke raised her chin, and her eyes were drawn again to the Sharingan.

"You suck at pretending! You are a failure at being both an actress _and_ a shinobi."

By now Hinata was profusely crying.

"I'm betting you and your friends thought about getting a few laughs at me. "Why not play a joke on Sasuke and break her marriage?" Do you think I'm an idiot!" She tried to move away, but Sasuke smashed his fist against the wall, centimeters away from her face. Cracks appeared on the wall, decorated with red. She stood, shaking like a leaf

"I have a short temper" whispered Sasuke in a slow, menacing voice" so tell me who the fuck had the idea of this joke? I highly doubt you are smart enough to think of it yourself."

Hinata tried to escape to the other side, but Sasuke stopped her with his other hand

"Who was the mastermind?" Insisted Sasuke "Who was?" Now he was raising his voice even more

Hinata by then had closed her eyes, and was totally immobile, closing her eyes with all her might without answering his questions. She could feel Sasuke threateningly getting closer. Five seconds later she heard a yell and she felt the presence of Sasuke being pulled away. Finally a strong slap

Hinata opened her eyes,

"What...?" Sasuke said, protecting his red cheek with one hand and facing a new person

"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing?" yelled the new person. She recognized her classmate Sakura. "You are an insensitive, unfeeling, heartless, cold, uncaring, selfish, egotistical..."

"I was just trying to find out who..." started Sasuke

"Go away!" yelled Sakura

"But..."

"_Go_ _away_!" Yelled Sakura "_Now_!"

"Shit" said Sasuke, and after a last angry glance at Hinata, he left.

Hinata was still shaking, and when Sakura smiled got closer, she fiercely hugged her.

"I-I-I" stammered Hinata

"Shhh" said Sakura, returning the hug and caressing her hair. "There, there, there. It's OK, it's OK. Really, Sasuke-kun was just angry because he doesn't understand what's going on." After a pause, she added like as an afterthought "Who forced you to do it?"

Hinata was too tired to think. She hadn't been able to rest since he had received the order of seducing Sasuke. She was mentally and physically exhausted, and Sasuke's violence had scared her. She just wanted to rest. She said the words.

"M-my f-father."

Sakura held her breath

"Hyuga Hiashi!"

* * *

Taking the worn out Hinata to the Uchiha's residence was child's play for Sakura. She waited until Hinata fell asleep, and left the room silently. Outside, she turned to a corner of the living room, where there were shadows, as the sun was setting

"Hinata is already asleep. Did you hear what she said?"

"Of course" From the darkness, a shadow became solid in total silent. "Hyuga Hiashi, head of the Hyuga clan, the most powerful clan in the Leaf Village. I suspected the Hokage was forcing Hinata to ensnare me. I didn't expect to be the Hyuga clan."

"I don't understand. Why would they be interested in us?" Sakura raised her eyes. Sasuke was in a pose that anybody else would have said it was lack of interest. Only she could see that he was nervous "Sasuke-kun?"

"The Uchiha clan and the Hyuga clan share a history of bloodshed and mutual hate. There are some old feuds from centuries ago. I didn't think they still cared about them." He finally said

"What happened centuries ago?" She asked. What she really wanted to ask is why he was scared of telling about it to her.

"I'll tell you if you want, but" said Sasuke, looking straight at her eyes "I'd prefer if you didn't ask. It's the genesis of my clan, and still it makes _me_ want to puke."

Sakura appreciated that Sasuke was being totally honest with her. He didn't want to talk about it, but he would if she insisted. Sasuke was actually planning to leave the Leaf, and he didn't have any family or friends he could confide in. However, he had confessed his plans to her, making clear that he would never lie to her. He had even told her about Hinata's strange confession. It made her fell important that he was placing so much trust in her.

"I won't ask, Sasuke, but please remember that is not your clan anymore. It's _our_ clan now"

He shrugged, although mentally he thought that Sakura was wrong. It was not her clan. It was his, and his duty was to avenge it, killing the Uchiha Prodigy.

"We need to find out what's the Hyuga clan planning. I could do some research..."

"Sasuke" said Sakura with a smile "why don't we just knock and ask?"

Sasuke looked at her with a surprised look. He smiled.

"Hai, why not? Let's go and ask the Hyuga clan. It's not that they could kill us and hide the corpses. Could they?" there was a forced silence after his words.

They set off hurrying up in case the night caught up with them. When they were about to reach the Hyuga district, Sasuke slowed down.

"Sakura, I know it was my idea to play good cop-bad cop, but... don't you think you went a little too far with the insults?"

Sakura smiled a mischievous grin

"Sasuke-kun, it was my chance of calling you all those insults at least once. I had to take it."

"And, don't you think you hit me a little too hard?"

Sakura looked at him. She started to laugh

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun, but this is too funny" she said between laughs "We got drunk, we made love, we married with the opposition of everybody we know, we killed a Sound shinobi, now we are facing the most powerful clan in the Leaf, and you are worried about a single smack?"

Sasuke smiled almost against his will. Since they were running out of daylight, he took her hand and pulled her along.

The Hyuga guards didn't seem surprised when he arrived, but they sent some sinister looks for Sakura. She noticed that all of them were from the Main family. She had expected to find Hyuga Neji somewhere, but he definitely wasn't around.

The room were Hyuga Hiashi was expecting them was wide but there was too little light. It gave away an ominous feeling. Near the head of the Hyuga clan was also her second, but the, according to the information Sasuke had gathered from the comments from Kakashi, favorite daughter, Hyuga Hanabi.

In a semicircle standing near the head of the Hyuga clan were seven Hyuga shinobis. All of them competent-looking.

Sasuke and Sakura kneeled before Hiashi, who was also kneeling down. He didn't appear surprised by their arrival either..

"Hiashi-dono, I don't think we have talked before. I am Uchiha Sasuke, from the Uchiha clan."

"I welcome you to my home, Sasuke-dono. We haven't talked before, but I have heard about Uchiha Sasuke, the last survivor of the tragic clan. I am Hyuga Hiashi, head of the great Hyuga clan. I remember that my grandparents used to tell me story about the former greatness of the Uchiha clan."

Sakura raised her eyes. "His _grandparents_ told him about the _former_ greatness". There was an insult hidden among those polite words.

"You are too kind, Hiashi-dono. The Huyga clan is clearly right now the most numerous clan in the Leaf. There were three Hyugas in my class alone. A pity only one passed: Your own daughter, proud descendant of your lineage. Her sensei probably told you that on her graduation day" Sasuke said with exactly the same polite tone.

Another hidden insult, noticed Sakura. Sasuke had only mentioned numerous, not strongest, and he had made a clear reference that only one Hyuga out of three graduated from the academy in his year, and Hiashi hadn't gone to her graduation.

"Indeed, if there were more Uchihas, the Leaf would be safe from his enemies. A pity they _couldn't_ control their own shinobis"

Another insult. This time it was barely hidden.

"That's true. The Uchiha clan was unable to control all the elite shinobis it produced. There were far too many geniuses and prodigies. No wonder they were the strongest clan in the Leaf. Still, you curse seal jutsu is very effective at sacrificing people for the good of the clan. My deceased father used to call it the Slavery jutsu. Of course, that was just what he said." He added, while the guards made some almost imperceptible moves closer to them

«And his father is not here to say if that was true or not» thought Sakura. She was surprised by the turn of the conversation. They were past the borderline of education. Even if they speeches were still polite, they were throwing everything at each other. Was that really the first time they talked? What really happened between the Uchiha and the Hyuga clans?

"Your father. I knew him. A good man. A pity he couldn't control his own son. The whole clan exterminated by just one man, even if he was the genius Uchiha! Makes you wonder the truth about the power of the Uchiha clan."

"The Hyugas also have many geniuses, like Hyuga Neji. I don't know his father, but I bet he must be very proud when they told him that he went to the third part of the chuunin exam on his first try. Ooops! My bad! I am sorry. I forgot he was sacrificed for the Hyuga clan."

"It was his honor. The Hyuga clan values loyalty above all. A pity..."

The conversation was cut when Sakura smashed her palm against the ground. After a few seconds, both Hiashi and Sasuke sighed, while the guards let go of their weapons. The tension in the room relaxed considerably.

"I apologize, Sasuke-dono. My words were uncalled for."

"No, please, Hiashi-dono. It was my young blood that boiled too fast. Let me ask you just a simple question, and we will not bother you anymore." Sasuke inhaled breath. He activated the Sharingan. Red eyes scanned the people around him "I know that you ordered your own daughter to bother me, so what the fuck do you want?"

Sakura had a jolt. Sasuke was throwing all common sense out of the window, not to mention precaution in a room full of Hyuga guards, and even forgetting education in the process.

He was truly cool

"So, my daughter wasn't even able to seduce you. Worthless. Well, no matter. It's better to solve it between us."

The whole room was deathly silent. Sakura glanced about her. Sasuke was glaring at Hiashi with open hostility in the eyes. Hiashi had a smirk in his head, like a player who had all the cards, and was just waiting to show them.

"I want to offer the hand of my daughter, Hyuga Hinata in marriage to you. That way the series of events that have been called the Original Uchiha Tragedy that caused the schism between our clans will be finally forgotten. You will join directly the Main family, and your sons will belong to the strongest clan in history of the Fire Country. The Hyuga and the Uchiha bloodlines combined will create the faultless clan, invincible both in gensutsu, taijutsu and ninjutsu, perfect in defense and attack. Sasuke-dono, I am offering you to join the perfection."

And the bomb was dropped. Sakura understood why Hinata was so distressed. She loved Naruto, but her father was forcing her to marry Sasuke. Hanabi and the other Hyugas didn't appear delighted by the idea. Sasuke was silent. He didn't even move a muscle while Hiashi talked.

Sakura felt the terror moving up from her chest to her throat. Was Sasuke thinking about it? It wasn't like he had agreed to their marriage by his own will. He had been forced to it. Also, since the same moment they had married, she had set herself on the mission of breaking up the walls that Sasuke had surrounded himself with. Maybe that had been a mistake. Maybe Sasuke just wanted to let himself go in hate and regret for the rest of his life. Hinata was so shy that she probably wouldn't bother him... If she could go back in time... No, no. Even if it cost her Sasuke's love, she would not allow him to be unhappy.

"Hiashi-dono" said softly Sasuke "Are you on drugs or something?"

The guards yelled in anger at somebody who had dared to speak against the head of the clan that way, but Sasuke wasn't finished.

"Shit! I don't believe I wasted my time coming here. First of all, I am already married, Secondly, I wouldn't be caught dead marrying a Hyuga, third, I don't like you, Fourth, I don't like you, Fifth, I still don't like you, and sixth..." Sasuke turned to Sakura "I am quite comfortable the way I am now."

Sakura blushed, surprised by the unexpected comment, while Sasuke stood up, holding her hand and turning away.

Hiashi was still smirking, while the both of them walked away

"If you accept to divorce that girl, and marry Hinata, we will give you full support to catch your brother, Uchiha Itachi. I know the Leaf is not giving you any help to catch him." He abruptly said.

To those words, Sasuke actually stopped, and Sakura felt terror coming back again. Itachi was Sasuke's weak point. If the older brother was involved, the younger one would do anything for revenge, even if it meant destroying his own life in the process. She didn't expect his love for her, because he loved her, she knew that, could survive the trial.

Sasuke was standing, totally immobile. He turned, while Sakura was holding her breath in total terror.

Sasuke started to laugh

"That was a good one, Hiashi-bastard." He said between laughs "Do you actually think your pathetic little clan could do anything against the Uchiha Itachi, the one that killed the Uchiha clan? He would kill all of you in five minutes. You are _so_ pathetic! Hinata is a really nice girl. I guess there was an accident at the gene pool somewhere. She lost the snobbish genes."

Hiashi glared back at Sasuke

"I see. Maybe I made a mistake offering you this honor. After all, the only thing you Uchihas are good at is revenge and mass-murder, like what happened during the Original Uchiha Tragedy. We can see the pattern in the two Uchihas left."

"The Original Uchiha Tragedy happened because you Hyugas played being Kami-sama with people and feelings! And you haven't learnt in the last seven hundred years! Shit! How much suffering are you going to make just to further your goals?"

Sakura looked around. The guards were blocking their exit. If they weren't careful, their marriage would be indeed a short one.

"The Uchihas are like viruses. And to ensure your own aims, you don't hesitate in involving women to reproduce." Hiashi glared at Sakura "Sasuke-san, don't you think it's destiny that the one you chose to marry had the name of Sakura, the same name as that woman?"

"That woman?" asked Sakura, before she could tell herself shut up. Immediately she was rewarded by a look of triumph of Hiashi, and another look of fear from Sasuke

"Oh, he didn't tell you? Your dear husband didn't tell you about the Original Uchiha Tragedy? Tsst, tsst, tsst. That's very impolite of you, Sasuke-san. You shouldn't keep secrets from her. The sad story of the girl, the only innocent of the whole tale, which committed only one sin: To love an Uchiha. Her only reward was pain."

"Hiashi-san, I am starting to get angry" warned Sasuke while his chakra flared.

"Don't you think she has the right to know?" Hiashi nastily asked

Sasuke closed his eyes.

"She has the right to know" admitted Sasuke, while he kneeled down. "Get ready, Sakura" Sasuke closed his eyes, inhaled air, and started relating his tale "The series of events that ended up being called the Original Uchiha Tragedy started more than seven hundred years ago. The Hyuga clan was by then the most powerful clan of the region, when the Fire Country still hadn't been created..."

Sakura looked at Sasuke, who had a worried look on his face, even though he spoke clearly. Hiashi had a look of cruelty in his face. The faces of the guards were impassive, only Hanabi's face was smiling, in exactly the same grin as her father.

True, she wanted to know what the hell was that Original Uchiha Tragedy, but not at that place, not at that time. It didn't even sound that important in the first place.

For the second time in that day, Sakura smashed her palm against the ground

"Seven hundred years?" Interrupted Sakura "You are telling me that this story that you fear to tell me happened more than seven hundred years ago?"

"Hai"

"Well, it's stupid. Sasuke-kun, you are a baka for being scared of something that happened so long ago. And you" she added, looking at Hiashi "You are most pathetic. You just care about your clan, your clan, your clan. You don't even worry about your own daughter. You don't even deserve our time. I'm not surprised the Uchiha clan detests you"

After saying that, Sakura proudly stood up and started walking away. Sasuke was forced to follow her, surprised by her initiative.

"Woman, who do you think you are?" Hiashi angrily asked

Sakura made a move with her hand proudly showing her back, the Uchiha symbol proudly displayed. Sasuke knew that the symbol was already in all her clothes, but he hadn't remembered how great his symbol looked on her

"My name is Sakura, Uchiha Sakura, from the Uchiha clan." She wished her words could reflect all the contempt she felt, and she left without even bothering to look back.

Sasuke thought that Sakura was truly cool.

* * *

For a few moments none of them said anything, while they walked away from the Hyuga district with the light of the moon looking after them, but Sakura didn't have much resistance.

"Shit! I don't believe Neji's father sacrificed himself by that bastard"

"You believe that?" asked Sasuke raising an eyebrow. Sakura looked at him with surprise in the eyes. Sasuke sighed. "You told me when I was in the hospital that the father of Neji had sacrificed himself for his twin. However the more I look at it, the more suspicious it sounds. If I were to sacrifice myself, I would make sure to leave at least a note so my son didn't suspect foul play.

"Are you saying that the Main family lied to Neji!" Almost yelled Sakura

"I am not saying that. I am just saying that shinobis aren't only killing machines. They are also masters at deception, like the trick we played on Hinata, or the trap I used on the Hokage to get information out of her." He sighed. "I can give you many cases in the history of the Main family of the Hyuga clan, when they tricked members of the Branch family. I don't know if the story they told Neji it's true or not. I am just saying that I wouldn't be surprised if Hiashi, that publicly humiliated his twin in multiple occasions, lied to him."

The conversation was stopped short when they felt somebody approaching. A few seconds later Hinata appeared.

Sasuke didn't know how to act. Sure, Hinata was nice, but she was still a Hyuga. Sakura didn't have any trouble, as she stepped in and hugged her.

"Don't worry. We already told your father to back off. If you ever want to get out of that clan, know that Naruto and we will always be there to support you."

Hinata mouthed a word of thanks, before scurrying back to the Hyuga quarter.

"Hiashi trusts the second daughter, Hanabi, who is far stronger than Hinata. I could see that with a glance." commented matter-of-fact Sasuke. "It won't be long until the Main family uses the curse jutsu on Hinata"

"What!" Yelled Sakura, making Sasuke jump "No, they wouldn't do that to her. I mean, she is really nice and..."

"So? For hundred of years, the strongest kid of the Head of the clan has become successor of the Hyuga clan and lead the Main family, and the second strongest has suffered the Curse jutsu and become unofficial head of the Branch family. It has been like that for hundred of years, including with Hiashi and his twin brother, and I don't see traditional Hiashi changing it."

"I won't allow it" said Sakura with coldness in her voice "I won't allow it."

"The destiny of the Hyuga's generations is to fight against each other, hating all the time. Hinata and Hanabi can't have a happy relationship, because one of them is destined to fall and see the other rise to the top. There is nothing we can do. Hinata is like a bird in cage" Sasuke commented, thinking that Sakura would be wasting her time, but apparently she loved lost causes. She still thought she could save him.

"That's right." Sakura agreed, and her eyes, cold as ice, turned to Sasuke "She is like you, and your cage is Itachi."

Sasuke turned brusquely to her, and opened his mouth to defend himself against those stupid, groundless accusations. However his logical, pragmatic mind, had already told him that Sakura was right.

"Maybe" he conceded "But it's not like I can do anything about it."

"I bet that's what she says to herself, too." Sakura said with a calm voice, while appearing perfectly in control, but feeling the cold sweat. That was the first time she launched that kind of full-scale attack against the walls that surrounded Sasuke's heart.

After a few seconds, Sasuke kept walking

"You are right" he admitted "And I choose to stay inside the cage. My brother and I are destined to kill each other. That's our destiny, and not even you can change it."

"Sasuke-kun, haven't you heard that the destiny is written in the stars?"

"Hai. So?" He asked

"To save you, Sasuke-kun, I would move the stars from their place and rearrange them" she said, and her words were strong.

Sasuke fully turned around. He had already noticed that he had been changing since they were living together. He had noticed that she too had been changing, he just hadn't noticed how much. Instead of the sweet Haruno Sakura, that used to cry when things were bad, now in front of him was Uchiha Sakura, which shared the common trait of all Uchihas: The unending, pitiless, ruthless determination.

She moved her hand and grabbed his. For a few seconds he looked around, blushing, but he didn't recoil. Sakura started walking to the Uchiha district, when he suddenly tensed and dropped her hand

"Sorry, Sakura. I am going to train." He said with a smile.

Those words hurt Sakura, but she managed to hide her pain.

"I'll see you at home, then."

«Home. I haven't called any place home in a long time», he reflected. He waited until she had disappeared in the direction of their house. He looked at the roofs, where he had felt some chakras following them.

"Is that the girl that you choose instead of Hinata-sama? Pathetic. She is naïve and stupid." said a Hyuga shinobi that was glaring blankly at him, and nobody does better a blank stare that the Hyuga clan

"I tend to agree. She is so nice that she can actually look like a baka. _But_" He activated the Sharingan against the five shinobis, chuunin probably "_nobody_ speaks about ill about _my_ wife without regretting it."

"You could have joined the Hyuga clan. Now it's time you pay for your arrogance" warned another of the Hyuga chuunins while cracking his knuckles.

Sasuke smiled widely. The Hyugas smiled widely. The wolves clashed.

* * *

Sakura walked to her house. She entered and went to the fridge to get some snacks. In the meantime she was remembering the day, especially those precious seconds when he hadn't pulled away from her touch. For a few seconds, it looked like they were going to walk hand to hand home, but then he had looked around, and he had tensed.

She stopped

He had looked around

He had tensed...

He wouldn't...

"That Macho! Why does he always have to do it alone!"

Sakura left the Uchiha compound and started running until she reached the place where they had parted. Sasuke was there, all bloody, all beaten.

"Sasuke-kun!" She screamed

"It's OK, really, it looks worse that what it is" Sasuke said with a half a smile. He couldn't move the mouth to complete it. "They were five of them, Hyuga chuunins, and I kicked them pretty hard too. As soon as I am better, I am ambushing them one per one and..."

He shut up, when he saw Sakura looking at him with a worried expression

"What?" He asked. Finally he sighed. "Fine, I'll defy them openly."

Sakura smiled, and some minutes later they were slowly walking to the Uchiha compound, with Sakura with an arm around his waist and supporting his arm over her shoulder with her hand.

"Well, at least we can walk very closely, and there is no way you can escape from me" joked Sakura, trying to put some humor in the situation.

Sasuke sighed.

"Even if I were well, I wouldn't escape from you" he said, softly.

Sakura stopped and looked at him. Even in the darkness of the night, she could see his eyes looking nervously at her, then to the ground, and back at her. She smiled

"Let's go home, Sasuke-kun" she said, and this time he knew which place she was referring to.

* * *

* * *

Well, well, another chapter. Please Review! I am getting very few reviews! I need reviews! PLEASE!

Well, I hope you liked the chapter. I am trying hard to show the evolution of Sasuke's reactions to Sakura's love. At first he didn't even believe he could be loved. Later he understood that he was falling in love, and fought tooth and nail against those feelings. In this chapter, he is finally admitting, although only slightly, his love. I hope you liked also the Evolution of Sakura. And what about Hiashi and Sasuke's _friendly_ conversation

Don't worry, thought. This is not the last chapter. Far from it. We still have to know more about the Original Uchiha Tragedy, about that mysterious Sakura of the past, and don't think Oro and Itachi are going to be idle.

I have seen many fanfiction about the Hyuga clan, and I find strange that none have ever thought that the tale of Hiashi could be a lie. In the manga/anime we just saw Hiashi's version. In this world of deception, you never know. Also, Hinata or Hanabi are destined to be one of them Head of the Main family, and the other Head of the Branch Family, with the curse seal in the head. It's the way it has been for hundred of years. I still find strange that no author has thougth about it


	17. Traitor!

**Chapter 17 Traitor!**

_I never considered myself a traitor. Am I a slave that has to be chained to a place just for the simple reason I was born there? The place and the family where you are born are random. It's only the choices you make in life that determines who you are._

_And I choose to go where no man has gone before. I choose to fight for my dream. I choose to destroy the barriers that feeble humans create to hide their ignorance and fear._

_And be aware all those that would stand against me._

_Orochimaru._

_----------------_

Sakura woke up when the morning light reached her. She opened the eyes, and smiled when he saw Sasuke's sleeping face next to hers.

Sasuke always had a worried and serious look. However when he was sleeping, his face reverted to that of a child. A child with a swollen eye, among other bruises and cuts along his body, the result of the fight he had had against the five Hyugas the last day.

She sighed. She needed to get stronger, so next time Sasuke got into a fight, she wouldn't need to care about her safety. She slid closer to Sasuke, put one arm on his face, and kissed the swollen eye.

His reaction was instantaneous. He opened the eyes, but even before that she was already pushing her down on the bed with the right hand, supporting his weight, while his left hand reached under the pillow, grabbed a hidden kunai and brought it to her neck. His knees were bent and straddled her hips. His sharp eyes were locked on hers.

His intent to kill was terrible.

For a few seconds, none of them moved. Then he dropped the kunai with an apologetic look.

"Sorry, my reaction was automatic."

Her chest heaved up and down as she took deep breaths.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I'm sorry. I... I am not used to being woken up suddenly... I have trained to react quickly and..." He stuttered. He wondered why she was the only person that could make him stutter.

"You had a kunai under the pillow?"

"Actually, it was sewed under the front part of the mattress, and..." He suddenly noticed there was something wrong. He was on top on her, and his hand was still pushing on her chest... He leaped away.

"Sorry, sorry, I..." Sasuke tried to say, while he noticed with annoyance that he was blushing "Anyway, why did you kiss me? You startled me!

Sakura, with the hair disheveled, looked at him. A smile was slowly moving to her face.

"What? It wasn't my fault. This is the first time you have woken up before me. I have been living alone for five years! I am not used to it! I always wake up the first one when we are on missions." explained Sasuke. He was angry with himself, because he had almost hurt her. He was still blushing.

Sakura was smiling more widely now.

"What?" Sasuke repeated. He absentmindedly wondered why women worried about their looks so much. She looked really good with her hair like that.

He blushed even more than before.

"Sasuke-kun" Sakura finally said "You are blushing! You are really cute!"

"No! I am not cute! I am definitely not cute! I am totally, completely, entirely, utterly, absolutely extremely, particularly NOT cute!" yelled Sasuke

She just laughed. Sasuke thought that if he wasn't careful, he would really fall in love with her. Then again, he probably already was.

"Say," he said "do you want to train together after we train with Naruto?"

Sakura stared at him, with her mouth open. For Uchiha Sasuke, that was the closest thing to a love declaration.

"Let's eat breakfast" he finally said.

* * *

"How are the bruises?" Asked Sakura, who was slightly limping after the day's training. Sasuke hadn't gone easy on her, as usual. She probably should have warned him when they first started to train together, that every time she had asked about training together, she had actually _meant_ to go on a date together.

"Getting better" answered Sasuke "since we got married, I have been beaten every day, first Kakashi, then Kimimaro, Naruto, and finally the Hyugas. I am kind of surprised nobody has beaten me today. If I had known marrying was such a high risk activity, I would have married earlier" he commented.

Sakura laughed. She was glad that Sasuke was opening up to her.

"That's just divine retribution for your handsome face." Sakura joked

"Speaking about the Hyugas" continued Sasuke, trying to speak with a casual tone, and failing miserably "You claimed that you belonged to the Uchiha clan, didn't you?"

"Hai. I married you, remember?" She said with a sarcastic tone.

"Marrying somebody doesn't mean they can call themselves members of the Uchiha clan." He explained with a carefully neutral voice. "The same way that having an Uchiha eye doesn't mean Kakashi is a member of the clan."

Sakura looked at Sasuke. Fear began to stir in her eyes. Sasuke too looked into her eyes, the beautiful green eyes that seemed to enchant him.

"Follow me" he said sternly.

She followed

By the time they arrived at their destination, the moonless sky had grown dark enough and the first stars were shining on them. They were standing on a small dock that led into a black lake, which reflected the stars and the buildings around it.

"Katon! Goukakyuu no jutsu!" Sasuke yelled, and a great fireball went over the lake. Sakura shuddered. She had seen Sasuke's katon before, but his powers seemed to increase every time.

"That's basic Uchiha Ninjutsu. You must draw chakra from your mouth into your chest and hold it there, then blow it right out." explained Sasuke, saying exactly the words his father had said to him a lifetime ago. "It's your turn"

"Hai!" Sakura yelled, happy that Sasuke was teaching her his favorite jutsu. She copied the seals and she tried to do it, but not even hot air came from her mouth.

She looked at him.

"Do it again" he commanded

She concentrated again, and again, and again.

"_The Uchiha family trait is the manipulation of fire. The mind of an Uchiha"_

Sasuke was busying himself with lighting some lanterns, all bearing the Uchiha fan, and hanging on poles on the sides of the dock, casting a faint light.

"_An Uchiha member is only seen as an adult when he can use Katon"_

Sasuke sat down, and started giving directions to Sakura, that was still struggling with making at least some spark come out of her mouth

Then, among the unwelcome memories that were bothering him, another one really painful came back.

"_You haven't reached Itachi's level yet"_

Sakura paused when she felt the sudden intent to kill coming from Sasuke, who got up and started leaving.

"I guess it was my mistake. I am the only Uchiha after all."

"I am not backing down!" yelled Sakura.

He looked at her with frustration in the eyes.

"You can do whatever you want" he said, and he left. When he reached his home, he turned around and went to the dock again, using a different path and hiding his chakra.

Sakura was still trying to do it. He relaxed, wondering if she could do it. She would need to fight against disappointment and apathy. He had almost failed himself. He didn't really understand why he was doing this, anyway. The longer he was with Sakura, the more he was going to hurt her when he left for the Sound

"_Do not follow after your brother."_

Sasuke shuddered.

«How can I defeat my brother then, father? » he thought «How can I avenge you, mom, grandma, granddad, and everybody else? »

There was no answer. He already knew that there would not be an answer...

Sakura tried for what seemed like the millionth time... and failed. When she collapsed, Sasuke thought that this time she was giving up for sure.

Sakura tried unsuccessfully to get up. She was nearing chakra depletion, and not even a small flame to brag about. Maybe mastery of the fire ability belonged only to the Uchiha clan... Hell! She was speaking like Sasuke! She was Uchiha Sakura! She would create hellfire if that's what she needed to prove her point...

She only needed to make a small flame.

She slipped off her shoes and put her feet in the water. It was really cold, but refreshing. She closed her eyes and let the chilly feeling relax her... Then she opened her eyes violently. It was actually freezing. The only way to counter that cold would be with heat.

She got up and started gathering chakra at her mouth, then back at her chest. However, instead of launching it immediately, she kept it there, using her body heat to heat the charka. She used even more chakra to heat the accumulated chakra.

Just when she felt her lungs about to melt, she launched it. A huge fireball flowed from her mouth, illuminating the whole lake.

She panted, in the middle of a huge smile. She was about to fall unconscious, but... she had done it. She had really done it. She had...

"You did it" a proud voice announced

Sakura turned around, surprised that Sasuke was just behind her. Had he been there the whole time? The last nine hours she had been trying to learn it?

Sasuke walked calmly towards her, and he didn't move for a few seconds, just looking at her. She felt again as though she were melting under his gaze. No matter the place and the situation, just one look from Sasuke made her shiver with excitement.

"Uchiha Sakura" he simply said "Welcome to the Uchiha clan."

He put his hands on her shoulders and placed a caste kiss in her forehead, which sent a chill down her spine. She forgot to gather the last of her energy to stand, and would have fallen down if Sasuke's strong arms weren't there to hold her.

"You are as stupid as me and Naruto," complained Sasuke "wasting your energy so much you end up too exhausted to move."

Sakura smiled and hugged him although even raising her arms was an unbearably effort. He held her for a long time, even if for both of them was too short. Then he put her under a tree. She managed to sit, leaning against the trunk of the tree. He sat down, leaning against the same tree

"You know, I'm happy" she said.

"You shouldn't be" warned Sasuke "even now I'm thinking of ways to make you hate me, so I can make the divorce as painlessly as possible if you are not pregnant."

Sakura smiled

"Sasuke-kun, you are really annoying."

Sasuke smiled too

"You are really annoying too Sakura."

They sat there, still and in silence. Sasuke looked at her. The wind was softly moving her hair. It was peaceful, exactly the opposite of his mind

He was afraid of the future, as he didn't know what was going to happen. He always had the future set: Whatever made him get closer to kill his brother. Now he was having doubts. If he went to the Sound, he would be selfish for just chasing his desires and not worrying about Sakura. If he didn't go to the Sound, he would be selfish because he would just be doing what he wanted, and forgetting about all his family. All those people, all those dreams, all of them, gone, like tears in the rain. He didn't have the right to forget them.

"Should we go home and sleep? We still have one hour before we have to meet Naruto" asked Sakura interrupting her thoughts

"We should, but I don't feel like moving." answered Sasuke

"Me neither."

They sat, unmoving, while the morning sun greeted them. Later, Naruto yelled at them for arriving two hours late.

* * *

Sakura woke up first, and kissed Sasuke in the cheek. He woke up slowly

"Wake up, sleepyhead. Time to work." called Sakura from the kitchen

"I don't wanna train today" answered Sasuke, still half-sleep, while he sat on the kitchen table for breakfast.

"Still bitter because of Lee?" asked Sakura.

"I am _not_ bitter! Just because the ultimate creep decides that a good challenge would be five hundred laps around the Leaf village on our _hands_, and just because I lose there is _no_ reason at all why I should be angry. Damn! Naruto is an idiot, but Lee still didn't recover from his secret lobotomy!"

"Well, at least next time it will be your turn to decide the challenge on Lee. You are still ahead, aren't you? Eleven to five."

Sasuke smiled evilly

"I could really humiliate him. What about a challenge on who manages to seduce more women? I bet that creep won't be able to get even one..." he shut up when he noticed Sakura's _dangerous_ look

"It was a joke! Relax!"

"A joke?" asked Sakura, her anger gone. She stared at him like if he had seen a ghost.

"Hai, a joke. Joke, you know, a gag, when somebody says something to amuse other people."

She was still staring at him.

"Damn! Forget it. Every time I try to crack a joke, I sound so serious people believe I'm saying the truth. I am just no good at it. I should..." He shut up as Sakura suddenly hugged him "What now?"

"I don't know. I just thought I should hug you." She said.

Sasuke sighed.

"Sakura, did I tell you today that you are annoying?"

"No yet. It's just dawn." Sakura answered.

"You are annoying"

Sakura smiled.

* * *

Sasuke distractedly started eating breakfast. Sakura sat down at the kitchen table and smiled expectantly at him. Sasuke using his experience at hiding emotions and painful experiences, managed to hide the true suffering he was having due to the far too great amount of sugar and the far too weird taste of strawberry jam.

"It's great" he lied with a straight face. Sure, he had promised to always tell the truth to her, but he could at least lie to her about culinary subjects. Sakura had a hidden ability for poisons she didn't know about. Sooner or later she would learn to cook. Wouldn't she?

He had taken care of himself for the last five years, so it should be obvious that he should take care of food, as well as anything else inside the house. So, how come she had taken charge of the house? No way! Shit! That was _his_ house. He had been born there, he had been raised there, and he had been living alone for five fucking years! He knew how to cook and clean far better than she did. There was no way he was going to allow her to be in charge in the house!

"What are you thinking, Sasuke-kun?"

"That I am very happy" he said, after just a second. Well, in a relationship there should be a few little lies here and there to keep it flowing.

Or maybe, just maybe he was scared she was going to get angry

* * *

"Sasuke-kun! Have you been awake the whole night?" said Sakura when he saw Sasuke still awake and with bags under his eyes at the kitchen table

"Hai" Sasuke answered, still concentrated on the Go board.

"You are still playing with that? Do you like Go that much?"

"No really. I find it boring, but Shikamaru beat me, so I have to beat him. I can't train Go during the day, so I have to train during the night."

Sakura sighed. It wasn't a sad sound by any means either.

* * *

"We have to going to train" said Sasuke abstractedly in the breakfast table. He was being bothered by Sakura's wild hair. She hadn't combed her hair since getting out of the shower.

"Ok, I'll be going soon" answered Sakura, who was busy with some writing

"What are you doing?" asked Sasuke. The hair was still moving left, right, left, right

"I am planning some teamwork strategies. The way we fight now is too anarchic. We should learn to plan before actually jumping into combat..."

"May I?" asked Sasuke from behind. Before she could move, she felt something touching through her hair. She partially turned around, to see Sasuke skilfully brushing her hair.

Sakura leaned on the chair, letting Sasuke brush her hair. It was a peaceful scene, except her heart was thumping painfully as if it were to jump out of her chest

* * *

Sasuke panted as he entered home, while Sakura prepared breakfast

"What's up? Were you jogging?"

"No. The ANBU are spying on us again. I thought I could train a little with them. Even now they are probably following my shadow clone." Sasuke said with a smile

Sakura laughed.

* * *

Kakashi appeared really early, just two hours late. He hided his chakra, his smell, and even his heartbeats, and spied a little on his three favourite students. Six months. He had been missing six months doing special missions while the Leaf recuperated its strength, and he was anxious to see how they were doing.

At first he saw they were all right. A little taller, but so far so good.

Then he saw that there was something weird. Naruto was talking endlessly, as always. Still, instead of Sakura partially ignoring him, and Sasuke totally ignoring him, the both of them were concentrated on his words. Also Sakura was very close to Sasuke, who wasn't backing away. Finally Sasuke was doing something that Uchiha Sasuke never did. He was laughing, an open, happy laugh

So the question was: When did he fall into an alternate universe?

"What? You received a love letter, and you don't even know who sent it to you? What about your information gathering abilities, you chuunin-baka?" asked Sasuke

"Don't call me that, you chuunin-bastard!" yelled Naruto. He didn't sound angry.

The wonders kept growing: Sasuke and Naruto speaking in a friendly mode to each other. Well, sure, they were friendly in their own special way. Still, there they were, exchanging friendly insults and invectives. Who had replaced his old students? Only after a few minutes, Kakashi appeared.

"Sorry, guys. I was late. There was an earthquake just in front of my home."

"I am not even going to comment on that" answered Sasuke... with a smile.

"YOU LIE!" yelled simultaneous Sakura and Naruto.

"Sasuke and Naruto, congratulations on passing the chuunin exam. Sakura, I am sorry you couldn't pass. Don't worry, though. Next time you will do better"

Sakura smiled weakly

"It's OK, Kakashi-sensei. Don't worry about it. I'll make sure I pass next time" she said with the usual expression and words. However, Kakashi noticed that the nervous looks that Naruto and Sasuke were giving her were not normal.

"Don't thank Sasuke-chuunin-bastard! Even if we had to fight in pairs in a free for all, I did most of the work!" Naruto yelled

"Meaning that instead of using a single strategy, you just jumped at the middle of the fray. Any dobe would have guessed that staying in the corner of the arena was a better choice. I mean, it's not that I cared that you got beaten, but your loss was my loss. So I had to save your ass... how many times was it? Twenty, thirty?"

"Shut up, chuunin-idiot!"

"That's my line, chuunin-baka"

Kakashi had already understood that for some spoken or unspoken agreement, they both had decided to compliment each other in that way. Wonder of wonders.

"I was thinking that I have been away for a long time. I need to test what Sakura's training has done for you."

Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other with a dangerous smile.

* * *

"We just have to hit you once? Just once?" Asked Naruto in the middle of the clearing in the forest where they were going to train.

"That's right. I want to see if the examiners actually made a mistake."

"_Naruto_! You fight alone. I'll fight with Sasuke-kun. You have bothered me _fifteen_ times too many" ordered Sakura yelled hugging Sasuke.

Kakashi thought that so far, their reactions were kind of normal, like they were before.

Very soon, dozens of Naruto's clones started running to him, while Sasuke and Sakura hided

True, Naruto had improved. He was faster, stronger, and had a far better control of his Kyuubi power. However, he still sucked at taijutsu. Eventually, he ran out of clones and Kakashi hit him with a double palmed strike, sending him tumbling against the bushes

"I guess everything is up to me now" said a smirking Sasuke. "Well, that much was obvious."

Kakashi noticed that behind him, Sakura was clutching nervously a kunai.

Naruto just jumping into the fight without any thought. Sasuke fighting on his own. Sakura nervously following Sasuke. They were too much like their original selves to be real. Where was the trick?

Sasuke ran and attacked Kakashi, who was carefully avoiding his attacks. Sasuke was going fast, but not with his maximum speed, and his taijutsu strangely seemed to be slightly unpolished. He seemed to be holding back...

Kakashi felt Sakura coming closer. He understood the plan. Sakura was actually planning to distract him, so that Sasuke could find an opening. Well, that was too...

Sakura's chakra vanished...

One second later, before he had time to react, in a perfect air kick, Sakura hit him in the face with a strength that should have been too much for her small body.

Then Sasuke made a seal, and four clones surged forward. Kakashi, even distracted by that kick, managed to attack the four of them, only for his strikes to vanish into thin air.

«Normal clones! » He thought, but in was too late, as Sasuke attacked his legs from the right. He jumped away to the left. He thought one second too late that it was looking like if he was acting exactly like they wanted him. One second too late because from underground a Naruto pushed upward and hit him straight in the chin. Kakashi tried to move to protect his fall, but he realized with horror that he couldn't move

"This is Shadow Leaf Dance, sensei" said a voice.

Kakashi strained his neck to see Sakura behind him, a Sakura with Sharingan eyes.

Even as "Sakura" used the Lion Rendan, and Kakashi tried to protect himself against the barrage of kicks and punches that were coming from apparently everywhere, Kakashi had decided that last minute revelations suck, especially, because they come too late. The comment of Sakura saying that Naruto had bothered her "fifteen times too many" was actually a codeword for some kind of strategy. Naruto's first attack had just been a diversion to allow Sasuke and Sakura time to switch appearances. "Sasuke's" second attack had just been a diversion to allow "Sakura's" time to attack him from behind.

From that point forward, he had fallen in their traps one after another like an amateur.

Kakashi managed to stop the final kick to the abdomen, but Naruto and Sakura, this one in her true form already, had taken positions around the falling area. However, Kakashi didn't get up.

"You have improved a lot" concluded Kakashi, still in the ground with a sore voice. "I have to warn you, though, that I was underestimating you because I thought I knew your current level. Other shinobis..."

"Whatever! Let's train, let's train!" yelled Naruto

"I don't think so" answered Kakashi

"Are you all right, Kakashi-sensei?" asked the always nice Sakura

"Don't worry. It's just my wounded pride. Tomorrow we will have a long training session, but today you can take the day off."

"All right!" yelled Naruto, that somehow could never lose his happy attitude." Sakura-chan! Why don't we practice another strategy!

"Baka! It's not that easy to plan them..."

Kakashi heard them walking away. It wasn't that he was angry and that was the reason he didn't want to train them. It was just that he couldn't move. Sasuke's combo had improved too much, and he had been too unprepared. He wished he could say that he was happy, but Sasuke's loyalty to the Leaf was too much a wild card yet

Besides, there was still Tsunade's order, which he had accepted: He had to make sure Sasuke and Sakura broke up.

* * *

"Mmmmmm. Sasuke-kun, you are _soooo_ good!" moaned Sakura

"Sakura, I have said many times that I don't mind what people think of me" warned Sasuke "But if somebody were to hear us. They would think... well, you know."

Sakura smiled, as Sasuke continued with his massage on her back, pressing pressure points. Outside, the storm that had been raging the whole day continued.

"You are still very good at doing massages."

"Of course. Every shinobi needs to learn about the human anatomy to be a better killer."

"Did I tell you how "romantic" you are, Sasuke-kun?" She said sarcastically.

"Aa" he answered. He was staring at her petite body. He was being forced to admit that there were no more doubts. He had meant to wait exactly nine months, but eight months had already passed and her stomach still wasn't sticking out. It was useless to keep lying to himself anymore. Not during _that_ day "I am glad you are not pregnant" he said, like with an afterthought.

"Mmmm" she agreed distractedly. Then she tensed

"Relax your body" warned Sasuke "I can't do the massage if you are stressed."

He continued with the massage. He could feel Sakura looking for words, and failing.

"I had my period two months after... that night." She confessed.

"Aa" he said. "I'm done."

She bolted upright.

"Sasuke-kun! I..." she struggled for words "What are you going to do?"

He didn't answer for a few seconds. He was staring at the window... straight at the direction he would need to take to go to the Sound.

After an unbearable silence, he turned around with a smile.

"I don't think I can leave today. It would be kind of stupid to leave you only to die of pneumonia the next day. Don't you think?"

She didn't smile. Sasuke decided that definitely he didn't have the touch to be funny

"What about tomorrow?" She asked

Sasuke looked at the window again

"I don't really know."

* * *

Sasuke was walking. He wondered where he was going. He felt a huge number of chakras just behind him. He spun around, only to see his whole clan, all of them, every single of them. They had bled all their blood and they were starting to decay

"**You have forgotten us**"

"No, no I haven't..."

"**Six years have passed, and you want to forget about us and keep on living"**

"Of course not. I would never do that. It's just... I..."

"**The whole clan was killed. All of us were killed. Every single one of us was killed."**

The images of the massacre were appearing again, the images that, no matter how much he wanted to forget, would always be there. There were engraved in his brain.

"**And yet you survived**" there was accusation in the voice

"It would be worthless to kill someone like you" added another voice.

The shadows disappeared, and the only one that was still there was Itachi. He was smirking, and looking at Sasuke with an expression of superiority

"Foolish brother. Run away, run way, and cling to your pitiful life." He said with scorn

Sasuke shouted curses as he ran to Itachi, but the distance was growing bigger every second. And every second it was harder to move

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" He yelled. The last thing he saw was Mangekyou Sharingan eyes looking at him with disdain.

* * *

Sasuke opened his eyes, panting. Sakura was at his side, still sleeping. Sasuke sighed. Not even she could do anything to stop the nightmares. Not on the day that marked the sixth anniversary of his family's massacre.

He couldn't forget it. The scars were too deep. Itachi had destroyed his family, taken away the possibility of him ever having a friend, Naruto being the sole exception, and set his path. No matter what Sakura or anybody could say, it was pain what had truly shaped his personality. If he wanted to live, he had to end Itachi's life. However, Itachi was no normal shinobi. He was the one that had exterminated the strongest clan in the Leaf. Other shinobis could train their whole lives and never even touch the level of ability he had. If he truly wanted to avenge them, he had to become a true Avenger.

He had to go to the Sound. He had to leave everything he had.

He looked again at Sakura's angelic face, and at that moment he would have cried if he remembered how.

Sakura opened her eyes. Sasuke was not there. She stretched and went to the kitchen. On the table there were two stacks of papers. She looked at the first one, and paled when she saw they were divorce papers. All of them dutifully signed by Uchiha Sasuke. She could sign them, and their marriage would be no more.

"No!" She whispered.

She looked at the second stack of papers. In the first page, in the middle, there was a single sentence, barely two words, written with Sasuke's clear handwriting, the one he hated because it looked too much like that of his older brother.

"I'm sorry"

"No!" She said

She looked at the second paper. The same

"I'm sorry".

"No!" She repeated.

She looked at one paper after another.

"I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry". "I'm sorry".

"_NO_!" She yelled, throwing the papers to the air, scattering them all.

As the papers with the apologies settled down, she was already in the ground.

"Sasuke-kun" she whispered, and she cried, because she hadn't forgotten how.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

I got the idea of the different scenes in the breakfast table from Citizen Kane.

60 reviews for 17 chapters. Well, I guess there are some people worse than me, I guess, maybe... When I first started writing, I thought I didn't care about reviews. Not I realize they are my blood force.

Well, ladies and gentlement, this is another chapter of the Uchiha Tragedy. As you can see, the plot quickly moves forward. The part with the different breakfasts, as we can see Sasuke and Sakura getting closer, is an homage to Citizen Kane. Well, please, tell me what you think of the story so far.


	18. Long Voyage Home

**Chapter 18 Long Voyage home**

"_I don't' understand why Kisame was so interested if I missed my former home. I didn't miss it. Not at all"_

"_I should politely warn him to stop bothering me with foolish questions"_

_Uchiha Itachi_

_----------------_

Sasuke was running, while the storm still raged. He had done everything faultlessly: Avoiding the ANBU that were watching his home, jumping through the village's walls, avoiding the usual roads to Sound Country, taking a detour and using the storm to hide his trail...

The only thing flaw that he had in an otherwise perfect escape was climbing a high mountain, wasting a time he didn't have and raising the risk of being caught by the Hunter-nins that were probably already chasing him. On the mountain he did another totally useless thing: He waited until there was lighting. Using the very small cover of a thunder, he roared with all his strength. It was a roar of frustration and pain. He kept running.

He didn't have the right to have her. He shouldn't even think about her. He had made a promise. He had said he would spend the rest of his life fulfilling his revenge. However, he was too unskilled against the powerful Uchiha Itachi. To beat him, he had to play the one awful card that had been dealt to him. He had to use the route of chaos and total abandon. Going to Orochimaru was what he was born to do.

He had promised himself that nothing else would be important to him. In that way, he would never feel that loneliness again. However, there were some things that had become important, that had become unintentionally precious to him, without his knowledge and certainly without his consent.

Still, he was skilled in the art of destroying those kinds of sentiments so he was able move forward without them, wasn't he?

Shit!

* * *

Kakashi was not listening Naruto's complaints about "that lazy bastard chuunin-Sasuke", not even the questions directed to him if being a latecomer was contagious. He was worried. He was really, really worried because Sakura and Sasuke were late. Sakura had arrived late only once or twice. Sasuke had never, ever arrived late.

They weren't meeting on the bridge, as always. In case of very bad weather, they had previously agreed to meet in the "Roof where I told you for the first time that I would become the Hokage" as Naruto had said or "Roof of dreams" as Sakura's had called it. However, that roof had a bad taste for him since he had heard that on that same roof Sasuke had asked Sakura to marry him.

Finally, Sakura appeared, and that was a good thing. However, she was alone, and that was a bad thing, a very bad thing.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! You are late! Where is Sasuke?" asked excitedly Naruto

"He is training alone" she said "He commented that he had created a new jutsu, and he wanted to practice it for himself."

"That chuunin-bastard is just afraid of being beaten by me!" yelled Naruto

Kakashi was not answering. He was paying a lot of attention at Sakura. He was staring hard at her eyes. Even if she had tried to hide it, she had been crying.

"Where is Sasuke?" Kakashi asked brusquely

"I told you;" she answered with a calm voice "He wanted to train on his own today."

Kakashi didn't even wait to listen. He was already rushing to check on the ANBU that should be making sure that Sasuke didn't escape from the Leaf. If Sasuke had escaped, they would need to form a hunting party immediately. At least the Leaf was almost with his former strength already. They would have no trouble forming a strong party.

Then, there was the trouble of what to do with Sasuke. They could try to convince him to go back to the Leaf, but Sasuke had decided to go to the Sound of his own accord. It was sad, but there was no choice: According to the laws of the Leaf, if Sasuke refused to go back, they would have to kill him.

Sakura watched Kakashi leave.

"I don't know why Kakashi is so worried." commented Sakura. "I said that Sasuke is training..."

Naruto glanced at Sakura. She was smiling widely, but her arms were trembling. Sakura looked at her own arms. He tried to hold the trembling, but it didn't stop. Oblivious to Naruto's presence, she hugged herself and started to tremble.

Naruto wanted to hug Sakura. He desperately wanted to hug her. If he did that, he knew that Sakura would thank him. She would even say that Naruto was really a good friend.

But he knew that he was not the person that Sakura truly wanted to be hugged by.

He didn't want to stay friends with her. He loved Sakura, damn it! He still loved her. He had watched her forever. He had watched and loved her since as long as he could remember. He wanted to hug her; he wanted to confess his feelings for her.

Hai, he also wanted to hit Sasuke really hard. He wanted to smash his face against concrete. He had promised to make Sakura happy! That bastard! He had Sakura. Sasuke had what he, Naruto, had wanted his whole life and Sasuke had rejected Sakura. Damn him!

"Sakura-chan" he said.

Sakura was watching the ground intensely.

"Sakura-chan" he repeated. He was afraid he was going to have a breakdown if she didn't answer him.

Finally she met his eyes.

He managed to smile.

"It's Itachi, right? Sasuke is going after him.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I told you Sasuke is going to train alone." She smiled again. She wasn't a good liar, though. Naruto was far better at hiding his emotions than she would ever be. He could hear her crying inside. At least he understood why she was lying. She was lying because she was in love with Sasuke.

_Sakura picked the pen, and started signing her name, when a hand stopped her. Sasuke's_

"_Sakura, are you completely sure?"_

"_Hai" she said fearlessly._

"_Sakura, you know I have a mission that I have to do. A duty I don't think I will survive. Even if we are married, I will not stop. Do you still want to marry me?_

"_Hai"_

"_Do you promise not to stop me in that duty, even if we are married?"_

"_Hai. In exchange..."_

"Sakura-chan, don't worry, I'll bring him back. This is a lifetime promise, and I won't take back my words. That's my ninja way. I'll do what you promised not to do." Naruto promised raising his thumb

Sakura didn't answer. She just looked at the ground, and this time she was barely holding back her tears.

Naruto was still smiling while Sakura saw him running away from the village. The smile disappeared as soon as Sakura was out of sight. He felt the water running down his cheeks, but he wasn't sure if it was because the rain or something else.

Naruto remembered that Jiraiya had told him that whenever he wanted to get out of the Leaf Village, he would need some ANBU to escort him. Naruto looked right and left, and decided that since Jiraiya was not there, he could skip the ANBU part.

He left the Leaf Village and started running. Seven hundred meters later, he noticed that he didn't know where he was going. He tried to think on a place where Sasuke could have gone. He then remembered that Sakura had talked to him about Orochimaru and Sasuke's seal. A little time later Sasuke had trained really hard to learn to create Shadow clones. They had met a weird guy who Sasuke had commented that belonged to Orochimaru.

That was it! Sasuke had gone to join Orochimaru so he could concentrate on killing Itachi! That idiot!

He tried to remember the way to the Sound Village. It was at the... northwest, or north right... Oh, well. He would find it. He was a shinobi, he had good instincts.

He started running. Around him, the storm still raged, unabated by time or weariness. Still, he ran. He didn't exactly know where he was going, and still he ran. He didn't have the slightest idea of what to do when he reached Sound Village, and still he ran. He though after a few hours of running, that if he wanted to assault Sound Village, he would need somebody to help, maybe he could have gathered a few friends for help, but still he ran.

* * *

Sasuke was running really fast, but still keeping his energy. He had calculated the distance to the Sound Village, and he wanted to reach the outskirts to the Sound Village as soon as possible.

He soon reached the frontier between the Fire Country and the Sound Country. He panted while he recognized the Valley of the End, the place where two cherished friends had fought to death. The First Hokage of the Leaf Village had fought there against his best friend. The two of them were friends and the two of them had very good reasons to fight. None of them could back off, and the end there had been another little tragedy, so common in the shinobi world.

The two statues of the two most powerful shinobis of their time were staring at each other. It was actually a nice place. He should show it to Sakura sometime...

Sasuke bit his lip, hard, until he felt the blood moving down his throat. He couldn't show it to Sakura, because he had betrayed her. He had to leave that place immediately. If he just jumped to the other side of the river, he would be on Sound country.

He just needed to jump and he would be out of the Leaf Country

He just needed to jump and he would be out of Sakura's life

He could only go forward; He couldn't turn back. Turning back would mean that he would never be strong enough to fight Itachi.

Shit!

* * *

After hours of running, he reached a waterfall, which was silently watched by two huge statues. He recognized one of them as the First Hokage. He didn't recognize the second one. The rain was still falling, maybe gentler now.

He was thinking about resting there for a short time, when then he noticed somebody staring at the waterfall, motionless.

"SASUKE!"

For a second, the person didn't move. Finally he turned around. Sasuke, holding with the mouth a drenched and obviously unlit cigarette, looked at Naruto. He smiled, gently.

"I thought I had hidden my trail better, especially with the storm. How did you find me?"

"I just followed my instinct" yelled Naruto

Sasuke raised an eyebrow

"You found me just by instinct?"

"Of course, because I would always be able to find you. No matter how far you run, no matter where you hide, I would find you."

"That sounds creepy, you know?" said Sasuke that was quickly losing interest in the conversation.

"You promised you would try to make Sakura happy!" yelled Naruto.

"I lied. It was very easy to lie to you, and even easier to lie to Sakura. I just wanted to fuck with her." Sasuke said calmly

For a few seconds, there was no movement. Naruto just stared at Sasuke, surprised by the words. Sasuke just didn't move.

Then Naruto roared as he ran at him. Sasuke watched with keen interest as Naruto's chakra increased tenfold in one second. Not only his chakra, but also his bloodlust and his speed increased exponentially. Naruto's fist went straight into his abdomen. Sasuke confirmed that also Naruto's strength had increased.

When Sasuke fell to his knees, Naruto moved his leg back, and kicked Sasuke in the face with all his strength. Sasuke fell down, and Naruto was in a flash on top of him, raising one fist.

Sasuke smiled and didn't make a move to protect himself. After a few seconds, Naruto put down the fist.

"You are lying. You just said that to make me hit you." He accused, getting off Sasuke

Sasuke smiled and after a few seconds, he managed to sit on the ground.

"Getting smarter, uh? Well, I felt like I needed a pounding, but it would be too dumb to hit myself, so I manipulated you."

"You promised you would try to make Sakura happy" repeated Naruto

Sasuke sighed.

"I said I would try, but I made another promise before that one. Before any other promise, I said I'd kill my brother. He is the last of my family, he is the person I loved the most and I have to kill him" he sighed. "Oh well, you can tell everybody else to get out from their hide-outs. I am not going to fight any of the Leaf today".

"Everybody else? "

Sasuke looked at him

"Don't tell me you came alone?"

One second

Two seconds

"You came alone?" asked Sasuke. No, even Naruto would not be...

One second

Two seconds

"You came alone. Are you an idiot!. Baka! What if I were in the Sound Village already? What if had met with Sound reinforcements? You and I have similar strength. If I were to resist to be dragged back to the Sound, you would have a 50 chance at best.

"You wouldn't fight me. You are my best friend, remember?"

Sasuke stared at Naruto for ten seconds. He did the only thing he could do in that situation.

He laughed. He laughed really hard.

"_You must kill your best friend" Itachi said, looking down on a powerless child. That was the day he had learned many things: The Strong live, the weak die. Even animals understood that. Watching all the shinobis that had died protecting their loved ones, along with those loved ones, he had also understood something else: Love is a weakness._

"You think you know me? Do you really think you know me?" Sasuke asked. He grabbed surreptitiously from behind a kunai. He was far faster than Naruto. If he were to strike fast, using a surprise attack, Naruto would be dead before he knew who had attacked him.

Naruto was not moving. He wasn't doing any defense movement either.

"Let me tell you about Itachi's terrifying power" continued Sasuke, getting closer to Naruto. Eight possible openings, nine possible openings "He has a gruesome power, the Mangekyou Sharingan. It's a jutsu really easy to get. The only thing you have to do..." Now Sasuke was getting really close. He was whispering the words directly into Naruto's ear. "... is to kill your best friend."

There was a forced silence. Sasuke waited until Naruto reacted.

"Itachi killed his best friend, didn't he? I should have known." Naruto commented.

Sasuke looked wordlessly at him.

"He was really cold, and I was scared of him, but" Naruto's bright eyes were locked on Sasuke's "you are not like him."

Sasuke smirked.

"You are just like Sakura. Still thinking I am a better person that I really am."

"Typical Sasuke-bastard," answered Naruto with the same tone "whatever Sasuke says is right and whatever everybody else says is wrong. Have you ever thought that _we_ could be right? That you are a _better_ person than what you actually think of yourself?"

Sasuke staggered, as if he had been hit.

"I suppose I know _myself_ better than you."

"Then why are you still here?" Asked Naruto "Why haven't you reached Orochimaru already? You left hours before me."

Finally, Sasuke lowered his eyes. The rain had almost stopped

"I... couldn't. I was just passing here, and I thought that Sakura would like to see this. Then... for some weird reason... I couldn't go on... I started thinking on logical reasons why I shouldn't go to the Sound, and I managed to find a few. For example, Kimimaro told me that my desires would go to Orochimaru when he took over my body. However he was dying anyway, it could be a trap. Orochimaru is known as the lying snake, after all. Besides, I know Orochimaru has a new body right now. Maybe he is happy with the new body, and he will eliminate me as soon as I appear out of spite for killing the Sound Five. I don't mind dying, but I don't want to die without killing my brother. I can't turn back, but first I need more research on Orochimaru" Sasuke's voice was very low.

Naruto didn't understand Sasuke at all. He looked ashamed just because he didn't want to go to the Sound?

"And you stayed here for hours? Who is the baka here?"

"Shit!" Sasuke turned and launched the kunai he had been holding with all his strength toward the statue that marked the border of the Sound Country. Even at that distance, the kunai nailed right in the forehead of the statue. The rain was still falling "I can't go back to the Leaf either! By now the ANBU are probably tracking me down to execute me!"

"No, they aren't" Naruto smiled. "Well, they are, but they aren't."

"Of course, I understand." said Sasuke rolling his eyes. "I always thought all the dumb blondes were female."

"Sakura lied for you. She told Kakashi and everybody that you had gone to train alone. If nobody sees you, they won't have any proof to execute you."

"Sakura... lied for me. She kept... her promise... That annoying woman" Sasuke said, and for a few seconds, his face, always tense and serious, was relaxed, even smiling. That face was breaking Naruto's heart. He could see how much they loved each other.

"You married her. If you make her cry I am going to _thrash_ you" warned Naruto

"It would be faster if you trashed me now. I don't know how our love story will end, but I doubt it is going to be a happy ending."

Naruto sighed.

"I really want to hit you now. You are not going to believe this, but you still have the right to be happy."

Sasuke was not answering. For a second he was back at the night of the Red Moon, at the Uchiha neighborhood, at the road of corpses... Suddenly he was back with Team 7 and Kakashi. Finally he was back at home with Sakura

"Maybe I do" commented Sasuke, that was thinking on a way to change topics "What would you have done if I had refused to go back to the Leaf?

"I would have broken your arms and your legs until you understood that I was right" smiled Naruto

"Beating me would not have proven that you were right." Sasuke was not smiling "It would just prove that you are stronger than me. If force proved right, then Itachi would be right too. How were you planning to keep me in the Leaf Village against my will? By breaking my arms periodically?

Naruto thought about it for a second

"I don't know. I didn't think about it."

Sasuke sighed.

"You are an idiot."

"We are standing far from home and drenched because a bastard wanted to go to a snake. Who is the idiot here?"

Sasuke smiled.

Naruto smiled too.

The rain almost stopped.

* * *

The storm had started again

Sasuke was standing in front of his home, hesitating if entering or not. He had made sure nobody had seen him. It would be very easy to slip into his house, and tell everybody that he didn't know the ANBU were looking for him, that he had _really_ been training alone. Did he have to ask permission every single time he left the Leaf Village to train? It wasn't his problem if everybody got scared the first time he skipped training.

The question was, was entering back into Sakura's life a good idea? After all, he had betrayed her. Maybe she had already signed the divorce papers. If she had, he didn't have the right to enter her life again

He wanted her to be happy. Would she be happy with him? He was still an Avenger. No matter what happened, even if he stayed in the Leaf, he would still be an Avenger. He still had to kill Itachi.

If he were to die in the middle of his revenge, Sakura would be really sad, and it would all be his fault. Even if he were to renounce his vengeance, he was still a shinobi. There was always the chance he could be killed in action.

Also, what if his research about Orochimaru proved that there was an acceptable risk on going to him. Would he leave Sakura? That was maybe the greatest problem. He probably would.

What about his own strength. He was weak. He hadn't been able to protect his family. Could he be able to protect her? He didn't want to lose any of his cherished people ever again...

He then noticed that somebody, Sakura, according to her chakra signature was calmly walking towards him. She was holding an elegant umbrella, protecting herself from the storm that was still raging, stronger than ever.

His first thought was running away. He had betrayed her. He had left her. He lowered his head while she reached him and used the umbrella to protect the both of them.

"I forgive you" she said

He recoiled. He was remembering the notes he had left, where he had tried to apologize for leaving.

"I forgive you" she said again

He raised his eyes

"I forgive you" she repeated for the third time, and she smiled. She put a hand at his cheek "Have you been crying?"

"No." He confessed, touching her hand. "This is just the rain. My mother... my mother used to call the rain "Nature's tears"... Funny. I hadn't remembered that for a long time."

Sakura got closer and kissed his cheek. He put his hand on her cheek.

"Sakura, when I die, you will be sad. Don't you mind?"

Sakura smiled

"I love you, Sasuke-kun, but you need some therapy, some long, long years of therapy."

He finally smiled openly in front of her.

"I was afraid you would never be back" she confessed

"Me too" he said.

Holding hands, they both walked towards home.

It finally stopped raining. The rainy season apparently had ended.

* * *

It had taken him a lot of work and endless sessions of training, but finally Sasuke had finally been appointed as a jounin. He was widely considered the strongest among all the new jounins, even if there were some powerhouses as Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji, or even that surprising upstart Uzumaki Naruto.

After the celebration with his teammates, he had gone to celebrate it with his family. All those Uchiha parties were annoying. He had to stand in front of his whole clan, and make a _speech_ about what he was going to do for this village and for his clan.

What did he know about speeches, anyway? Sure, he liked to talk, but a speech in front of his whole clan? Itachi could do it better. He was the next successor of the clan, after all.

He sighed, standing up, and hoping he didn't forget any part of the damn speech. His parents were in the front row, silently encouraging him. Itachi was at their right, also smiling. Sasuke watched his most cherished people, smile, at him, and immediately felt better.

"As a recently appointed jounin..." Sasuke started the speech.

Sasuke suddenly woke up, violently trembling.

That shouldn't be considered a nightmare, most people would say it was a nice dream, but it actually was worse than the usual nightmare. Because in the dream he was happy, and when he awoke, he had to remember that his whole clan had been butchered, and that the only one left was Itachi, the one that he had to kill for revenge. He had to remember that he was alone

He sighed. His hand quickly went to his hidden kunai when he heard breathing next to him. He smiled when he saw it was Sakura. That was right. He had married some months ago, and he wasn't alone anymore.

He kissed Sakura softly on the cheek; he hugged her. He went back to sleep with a smile.

His last thought, before he fell asleep, was to ask himself if he was going to end up hating Sakura for slowing down his revenge.

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

Well, here it is, another chapter. Well, 70 reviews for 18 chapters is not bad, I guess. At least people that have reviewed have said it's a good story.

In this chapter, I tried hard to show the differences between genius Sasuke, smart, calm and collected, and Naruto, that acts by instinct, following his heart, and trying to do the best thing. Also, I wanted to give a feeling of fleeting happiness. Sasuke is happy with Sakura, but even the last line shows that their happiness may be short

btw, Uchiha Sasuke was first in the popularity poll. Surprise there!

I was thinking, besides the Naruto's one sided love for Sakura, some reviewers have thought of a Itachi/Sakura/Sasuke pairing. I think it does sound interesting. What do you think? Anyway, very soon Hinata will appear in the story again.

Next chapter, be ready because there are going to be BIG surprises. Kukukuku (Jaime leaves laughing and leaving all the readers wondering what is evil plothe is planning)


	19. What really happened that night?

**Chapter 19 What really happened that night!**

"_I wonder what really happened that day. I mean, sure, I have heard that Itachi killed his whole clan. But, why did he leave his little brother alive? Because he loved him? No way. If he loved him, he would have been kind and killed him. Because Itachi was tired with the killings? That's stupid. Nobody wipes out a whole clan, including all the underage shinobis wannabes, and leaves a survivor. Because Itachi wanted his little brother to have his revenge? That's dumb! The little whelp doesn't have enough talent to kill Itachi. Besides, if Itachi wanted to die, he would do the job himself._

_And why did he kill his clan in the first place. To measure his capacity? That's so stupid I'm not even going to comment on that. So, what really happened that night?_

_It's not that I actually want to ask him. I _don't_ want to see Itachi angry"_

_Hoshigaki Kisame_

_----------------_

Sasuke was up and holding a kunai before he was aware of what had awoken him up. Then he heard a small sound in the floor below. Immediately he knew that the sound came from his parent's room. No thief was stupid enough to enter the house of a shinobi.

That meant bad news.

He considered waking up Sakura, and decided against it. If they were Orochimaru's henchmen, they would be after him. He could easily lure them away from her.

He got closer to the stairs, when the first shadow covered the window. Sasuke launched a shurinken, but it was repelled by a kunai. Sasuke was already jumping forward, when he froze. The shinobi was wearing a Leaf Headband. Who was after his life? The Hyugas? Spies from Orochimaru? Tsunade had finally decided to kill him?

The doubt was fatal as two more shadows jumped from the stairs, and Sasuke was soon surrounded by three sides. The shinobis rushed at him, but Sasuke managed to duck and get out of the triangle after stabbing one of the shinobis in the arm. The shinobis moved slowly, since they were not used to the place. Sasuke was getting ready to use Katon, when another chakra flared.

"Everybody stop!" It was yelled by a shinobi wearing a mask of a crow.

"Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sasuke, trying to keep his cool, but not lowering his attention. "If you wanted for a cup of coffee, you could have just knocked."

"We thought you had gone to Orochimaru" Kakashi said.

"That's funny. I thought Sakura had told you that I was going to train new jutsus" said Sasuke, that was noticing that nor Kakashi, wearing the ANBU uniform, not the other ANBU were lowering his weapons "If I had gone to Orochimaru, I wouldn't be here. Don't you think?"

"What new jutsus have you learned?" Kakashi asked with a stern voice.

"I haven't finished developing one" Sasuke explained. He started to think of something in case Kakashi asked for details.

"Everybody out of the house" ordered Kakashi, taking off his mask. After the ANBU disappeared, he continued speaking. "Where is Sakura?"

"In our room" pointed Sasuke.

Kakashi looked at the room. His stare turned hard when he looked back at Sasuke

"You sleep in the same room?" He yelled, glaring at Sasuke, who started to look for excuses quickly.

"As a matter of fact, we sleep in the same bed" said a new voice. Sakura "You don't have to worry, Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke promised that nothing of what you are thinking would happen between us until we were eighteen, and we Uchihas always keep our promises."

Kakashi looked for a few seconds at Sakura, who was leaning against the door frame with a calm smile. Then Kakashi's carefully neutral eye turned to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I know you left. Sakura had been crying."

"I am sorry sensei, but Sakura and I had a discussion and that's the reason..."

"Sasuke, this is Kakashi-sensei" Sakura simply said. Sasuke raised his eyes to see Sakura looking right at him. Those words had a pleading tone to it. He understood at that moment that he was going to die because of Sakura. He would die either at the hands of Itachi because he didn't go to Orochimaru for power, or he would die executed at the Leaf because Sakura trusted people too much.

She was just too nice, and he was an idiot for doing what she wanted.

"Are there any microphones still around the house?" asked Sasuke.

"No, you always seemed to find them after a few hours, and since you always broke them, the ANBU eventually gave up."

Sasuke sighed. He was going to make a serious, very serious mistake. Who cared if their teacher was out of their secret?

"There is no much to tell. I went to Orochimaru, changed my mind halfway and went back.. That's all." That was it, putting his life on the hands of another person. That was against everything he believed. Damn Sakura.

"You are not the type to back down from your decisions" said Kakashi.

«Right on the mark», mentally agreed Sasuke. Usually he would have gone to hell without even bothering to look back or to think about the risks, if that was required to find his brother. He had changed, and he didn't know if he liked it. He was almost scared of himself.

Kakashi stood silently, while a cloud covered the moon and his expression was hidden. Finally Kakashi sighed.

"Thanks for the trust Sasuke, I won't tell anybody. However, if you betray the Leaf again, you may not have another chance."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke said, partially relaxing... Then the cloud moved, and he saw Kakashi's eye, looking right at him with a multitude of feelings. The feelings disappeared, and his expression was again nonchalant and friendly in less than a tenth of a second.

"I'll be leaving now." Kakashi explained winking at him "Be a nice boy, Sasuke. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"I wonder what things he wouldn't do." Sakura said with a good humored voice as Kakashi left.

Sasuke was silent. All of it happened too fast. What had he seen on his face? Anger? Shame? Pity? Embarrassment? What the hell was going on?

"Sasuke, if he was just angry because we just slept in the same room, what do you thing would happen if he knew why we married?" said Sakura.

Sasuke laughed, and totally forgot about Kakashi's strange look.

* * *

When the morning came, Sasuke watched silently in the kitchen table as Sakura used a spatula to sadistically torture the charred black omelet and hummed to herself.

"Sorry, the omelet got a little black." Sakura said. Sasuke silently wished there was even a little yellow in the omelet he was going to have to eat for breakfast. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all" he confessed. "I love your cooking. The worst part was that he was saying the truth. He loved her scorched meals. He loved eating her cooking, even the "pork" she made. Hai, the one he wouldn't even give to Itachi. Sure, he wanted to torture and kill his brother, but there were some things you just don't do to a fellow human being. Giving the food Sakura made to somebody else was one of them.

* * *

Naruto had "developed" a new strategy, and he wanted to explain it to Sakura and Sasuke. That strategy involved both of them maintaining a considerable distance from the fighting and doing nothing while the "main character" did all the work.

He was still explaining this new strategy when Kakashi appeared.

"YOU ARE LATE!" Naruto yelled.

"I am sorry. I was very tired because there was a false alarm. There was a report that one chuunin was going to become a missing-nin, and we had to go after him. Although it was a false alarm, I had to be up late and so I'm very tired.

"YOU LIE!" yelled Naruto" that's what you have been saying for months!"

"Well, I was really tired." said Kakashi smiling and looking sideways at Sasuke and Sakura, who were looking away with innocent expressions.

At that moment Sasuke felt an oppressive feeling on his chest. In the next second a green form suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Sasuke, I will give my all today for defeating you! Let's fight for love and righteousness!"

Sasuke understood that he was having a nightmare. Or maybe he had been killed by Itachi and he was in hell, a hell where weird big-eyebrow freaks appeared around you doing big thumb up signs, adopting weird poses and saying stupid things.

"Sasuke, you are my eternal rival. Heaven itself smiles upon us as we face each other!" continued Lee.

Damn Gaara for not killing Lee when he had the chance. You could never trust psychopaths with a demon stored inside.

"Sasuke, in the name of our rivalry, I want to challenge you: Let's run together to a place and back! Whoever is faster will win! This is an endurance challenge!" yelled Lee to Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, the bridge, and anybody that was not more than ten thousand meters away.

Sasuke considered that this time Lee's challenge was almost normal. Certainly better than last time, when he had been forced to hunt for fishes in the river _using only his mouth. _He had almost drowned.

"Where?" He sullenly said. Then again, Gaara could have killed him too. Damn useless sociopath.

"That's the spirit! Now we can battle each other, and as we battle, we improve ourselves in mind and spirit!" yelled Lee. Sasuke was thinking the same. If he could kill Lee, the whole world would really improve. Humanity as a whole would improve.

"Where?" Sasuke repeated. He should have gone to Orochimaru when he had the chance. Orochimaru might have killed him, taken over his body, or even destroyed his soul... however, anything would be better than staying in the same village as Rock Lee.

"Let's run to Huki Mountain and back! Whoever arrives to the doors of the Leaf is the winner!"

Huki Mountain, Huki Mountain. Funny he didn't remember the name. He had always the first in geography class... Hold down... Huki Mountain?

"Lee" Sasuke slowly asked. Not even Lee would be _that_ crazy. "Isn't Huki Mountain inside Stone Country? That's more than a _week_ from here!" Sasuke had tried really hard to understand Lee. In a Village where children were trained to be killing machines, it was obvious that there were bound to be some really mentally disturbed children, but Lee was... Well, Lee was just too much Lee.

"OSSU!" yelled Lee, as if the doctors of the hospital had gone too far with the painkillers when he was hospitalized.

Anybody would think that Lee was kidding, but Sasuke knew that Lee was not kidding. He was just plain mental hospital material.

"That's great Lee! Let the flames of youth guide you!" yelled another green form.

Sasuke understood. Hai, he understood everything now. The reason Lee was crazy was because he had a crazy teacher. The reason Kakashi was always late was because he used to have Gai-sensei on his team and he didn't want to arrive on time. The reason Itachi had gone on a rampage was because Gai-sensei was in also in his team. The one responsible for all the evil in the whole world was in front of him with ridiculously huge eyebrows.

And to his right, Lee was crying, while Gai sensei cried too and hugged him.

"I'll do my best sensei!"

"You are great Lee!"

And they hugged as they cried.

The true reason Itachi didn't kill him was because he wanted him to suffer near one of Gai-sensei's students. That bastard! It was bad enough that he had killed his family, it was bad enough that he had caused him fear of making a single friend... but to subject his own brother to the deepest hell of desperation... Oh the humanity! Even Kakashi was in the conspiracy. He had thought that when Kakashi had removed the ANBU that had been guarding him, it was an act of friendship. Actually, it was part of the evil plan.

"Let's start." Sasuke said with the same enthusiasm as inmates sentenced to death prison when they walk to the execution chamber.

"HAI!" yelled Lee raising one fist. Sasuke was thinking how happy he would be if Itachi had killed him.

They were in position

"Get ready, set, And GO!" yelled Gai, who had come from hell to haunt him.

Lee literally exploded as he ran pass the gates of Leaf Village. Sasuke didn't move. He sighed and smiled, standing up. At least two weeks. At least two weeks when he would _not_ have to listen to "Flames of youth" again. What else could he ask? Well, except torturing his brother to death for hours

"You aren't running?" asked Sakura

"Default loss. I don't mind." answered Sasuke. The world was such a beautiful place. He would be nice from this day on. He would buy flowers for Sakura. He would never call Naruto dobe again. He would totally respect Tsu...well, he would totally respect Kakashi "I'm ahead 51 to 17, anyway."

"Sasuke-kun" said Sakura, and his voice was firm "Lee may be a little weird... well, he is a wacko, but at least he is giving his best against you. He really respects you."

"Aa" he said. He could buy a present for Sakura that very day, for example.

"If you are not running, then _I'm_ running."

"Aa... What?"

"It's the honor of the clan at stake" she said simply, while she moved to position.

"I'll do it" said Sasuke, after briefly considering suicide as an easy escape route.

He moved into position while he wondered life had to torment him so much. First he had been born into the Uchiha family, and he had needed to work his best for years. He had a genius as an older brother, so his father never acknowledged him. Finally, his brother had slaughtered his whole family, and he had needed to live a dark life where nobody could understand him. Well, he could manage with that, kind of. He had been doing it his whole life.

He had even been able to cope with the fact that he had as teammates a stalker and the worst student of the Academy (well, he had thought of them just like that at the beginning). Then he had gotten drunk, made love and married Sakura. Well, fine. He was even kind of happy. However, he then was then appointed by Lee as his "eternal rival", and now it appeared that destiny was truly his enemy. He couldn't even escape from his "challenges" as he had married a person that had learned somewhere about "clan honor"

He concentrated on the road ahead and started running. If he was doing it, he was going to win.

* * *

"Isn't he smart?" Asked Sakura with her usual "madly-in-love" expression, as she saw Sasuke running at low speed "Instead of running fast, he is saving his energy for winning later."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, while Gai left, probably to instruct his other students about "the flaming youth".

"Sasuke is really unlucky." Kakashi finally said "I have been having challenges with Gai for years, and he has never asked me to run that far."

"That's no luck, Kakashi-sensei" said Sakura smiling in a weird way "I just had to "accidentally" meet Lee after training and complain to him that Sasuke was not training enough at endurance and running long distances."

Kakashi looked surprised at Sakura and at Naruto that was also smiling.

"Sakura, you..." Kakashi said, without understanding what had happened with Sakura. That ability to plan ahead, out maneuvering other people... that came from...

"Kakashi-sensei, we are going to skip training for a few days. Naruto and I have some work to do" Sakura explained, whose smile had returned to her usual "Haruno Sakura" way.

"Sakura, what are you planning?"

"What am I planning?" Asked Sakura with an innocent voice "I don't have an enormous dream, like Naruto and his dream of being Hokage, and Sasuke-kun and his dream of revenge. My dreams are more "boring", like being with the person I love, becoming a jounin, keeping the people I care close to me, protecting the village and especially being happy with Sasuke-kun. But" Sakura then looked at Kakashi and he thought he was watching Sasuke's eyes. Full of that same cold, angry fury "that doesn't mean I am not planning on doing my best to realize my dream."

Kakashi took two steps backward. He finally understood something. Haruno Sakura had disappeared when he wasn't looking. The person that was looking at him was Uchiha Sakura.

His chest started to hurt.

"Sasuke-kun is afraid to love or even to relate to other people" continued Sakura "He is afraid people would leave him again… He hates loneliness, but he is too afraid of loss to overcome it. My plan is simply to fight that loneliness. I don't want to erase the past or the old memories, but I want to create new memories. I don't want him to keep living in the past."

Kakashi remained silent.

"Naruto used to have birthdays with Iruka-sensei. My birthdays used to be with my family and friends. However, Sasuke hadn't celebrated his birthday since he was seven years old because it reminded him of his dead family. You should have seen his face when he opened the door and he saw the surprise birthday party Naruto and I had prepared for him... That face of blissful happiness... I want to create more new memories like that."

Kakashi still was not answering.

"We are sorry that we are missing class, sensei, but don't worry. In a few days we will be back." She promised, as she and Naruto left.

Kakashi decided that he would need to talk to Sasuke again.

* * *

Sasuke finally stumbled past Leaf's Village walls, thirteen days after starting the race. Only pure proud stubbornness prevented him from falling down.

"You're fast" said Kakashi who didn't raise his eyes from his book.

"Aa" muttered Sasuke. He quickly moved to most important matters "Did I win?"

"No. Lee reached the Leaf five hours ago."

Sasuke finally collapsed on a bench.

"Damn it!" He tried to stand, but his legs refused to move.

"I can piggy back you to your home if you want to."

"I am too old for somebody to piggy back me, sensei."

"Very well." said simply Kakashi. "Can we talk for a bit?"

"Whatever" Sasuke said, while he mentally shuddered. Kakashi probably wanted to make some small talk to reinforce "male bonding" that so many senseis liked to do. Did he really think he was in the mood to talk being hungry, thirsty and extremely pissed off? Damn his legs for not allowing him to run away.

"I am glad you have decided to play your cards in the Leaf, but I really think you should either stop your revenge or stop your relationship with Sakura."

Great, just great. Kakashi-sensei wanted to make a long teacher-student talk about his life. Kakashi probably was expecting that he would totally open up and end up crying on Kakashi's shoulder.

"You will only hurt each other more. You can't be a human and a demon at the same time. You have to choose" continued Kakashi.

Sasuke's mind was already traveling away from him, returning once in a while to give the generic response and to keep in touch with the conversation.

Their first wedding anniversary was the next day. He should probably buy her something. Dunno. What do people buy on marriage anniversaries? Flowers? Jewelry?

"After all, it's not that you married her by your own will and you already know she is not pregnant" Kakashi was saying. Sasuke nodded and went back to his worries about if writing a poem himself would be more romantic than just buying a present. However, he just couldn't shake the thought that some obvious fact was staring straight at him.

Then his heart stopped beating.

"Kakashi-sensei" said Sasuke, interrupting Kakashi's comment about being honest with oneself, or something like that "How did you know we thought Sakura was pregnant?" One of the very first things Sakura and he had agreed on was to _never, ever_, tell anybody about that night. Not even to Naruto _or_ Kakashi.

Sasuke was looking straight at his sensei's face, and he saw it. He hated his eyes to death the next second, but he had seen it. Just for a hundredth of a second, he had seen a flicker of panic in Kakashi's eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? You try to get away from her touch every day, and one night you both get drunk and start kissing and the next day you're both married. It was easy to guess that you ended spending the night together." Kakashi said.

"Of course" admitted Sasuke who outwardly was smiling and relieved. Inside he was dying. Hai, what Kakashi said had made a lot of sense and he usually would believe it... Except that he had seen fear in Kakashi's single eye. "You were saying...?"

Kakashi quickly, far too quickly, went back to the lecture. Sasuke went back to his own world, but this time worrying about quite a few things. "Why did you marry?" That was a normal question that should be asked, after they had showed up married. They were too young, after all. However, Kakashi hadn't even bothered to ask, _as if he already knew_. Instead, he had resorted to beating him up. Just how many times had he seen Kakashi angry? And how many times Kakashi had retorted to violence? His actions had been very weird.

Waking up from a hangover was confusing at best, if his one-time experience was right. However he had woken up Tsunade, and she had immediately reacted, opposing the wedding, instead of asking the usual questions about what the hell was going on. _It was as if she already knew what was going on_.

He had mentioned the circumstances of his accidental marriage to the Sound Four, and they had started to laugh. Well, it wasn't really funny that he had married a girl after spending the night together. However, if they had married because _he_ _thought_ they had spent the night together, and actually it wasn't true, well, that was funnier.

The twin brother, whatever his name was. He had killed him quick, but he had always gotten the impression that he wanted to say something else. What else could be said?

He was a cynic. He had been born that way the day his childhood ended. Maybe he still trusted others too much.

After ten more minutes, Kakashi's dialogue/monologue ended. Sasuke made a few comments, most of them in disagreement, said something about training the next day and walked to a destination.

* * *

Jiraiya, one of the strongest shinobis in the history of the Leaf, one of the three legendary sannin, widely considered the strongest of the living shinobis of the Leaf, one of the very few people that faced Uchiha Itachi and lived to tell the tale, was finishing his new porno book, doing the final touch on the descriptions, when he felt a presence near.

"How do you do, Jiraiya-sama? I am glad you have returned from your travels. We haven't been properly introduced. I am Uchiha Sasuke, from the Uchiha clan."

Jiraiya turned and he saw the person responsible that his plans of training Naruto away from the Leaf were delayed. Not even one gathering after returning from a cruise for gathering information, and people kept coming to interrupt his inspiration.

"Handsome face. Would you like to do some modeling for my book?" He asked to throw off Sasuke.

"I already have an exclusive contract with somebody." said Sasuke, smiling softly. "I came to ask you a question, Jiraiya-sama."

"What do you want?" Jiraiya stated while his attention returned to his book. When Sasuke didn't answer, he raised his eyes, only to be glared by Sharingan eyes.

"Akatsuki. Who are they? What do they want? How can I find them?" Sasuke asked.

"I can't tell you" answered Jiraiya putting down his pen.

"Why not?" Sasuke asked with open hostility.

"It's too dangerous. They are too strong for you."

Sasuke glared at Jiraiya, but was actually smiling inside. Everything was going as expected. If they were going to give him information, they would have done so already. He didn't expect any help from the Leaf to find his brother, anyway. However after refusing to grant that request, which he had the right to know, the true reason he was here would be easier to be granted.

"All right" he said and turned as if he were leaving. Then, as an afterthought, he partially turned. "By the way, you have traveled a lot, haven't you? I am learning some new jutsus, and I was curious if there was any way to create false memories using advanced genjutsu" He had done his homework: Tsunade, expert in taijutsu, Orochimaru, expert in everything, and Jiraiya, expert in ninjutsu and genjutsu. If everything that had happened that night was an illusion, Jiraiya could give him information about it.

"Memories? No, impossible. Genjutsu is just illusions. You can't create memories from it."

"What if... what if the victim was drunk or in a very toxic state, where he couldn't really set apart reality from a dream? The memories could be very confusing... like a dream."

Jiraiya looked sadly at Sasuke and sighed.

"I know the reason you are asking me this."

"You do?" Sasuke, his lungs forgetting how to work.

"You are wondering if what your brother did to you was just genjutsu."

"You got me" Sasuke lied "and the answer is?

Jiraiya sighed.

"Sorry, but genjutsu is just that, an illusion. Memories can't be faked. Even if he had used genjutsu before, the brain can notice the difference after the genjutsu has disappeared. You would almost immediately recognize if it was genjutsu or not."

"Aa" Sasuke said,

"_You are also subconsciously wondering something, but your conscious mind still can't even think about it" had said the old witch Kikkyo-san._

"_So you even know about the questions I don't know I have?" He had asked._

Well, he already had that question: **What really happened that night**?

He had considered the possibility that the whole thing was just a genjutsu, made by Kakashi, who already knew his plans of leaving the Leaf. However, if genjutsu didn't create memories, it meant that he and Sakura had definitely spent the night together.

The question was how Kakashi knew about it. They had agreed not to tell anybody. He doubted very much Sakura would tell anybody without asking him first. Besides, considering the appearances, Tsunade already knew that they had spent the night together when she had woken up, before anybody could have informed her.

Logically speaking, the options were three: Either he was wrong, and it was just plain paranoia due to Itachi's betrayal, or Kakashi had drugged them to make them spend the night together, something very unlikely considering Kakashi's usual concern for the well-being of his students, or...

Or...

«Or... Sakura actually wasn't drunk when she had sex with me, and it was a plot with Kakashi and Tsunade, as a way to make me feel guilty and convince me to stay in the Leaf», considered Sasuke, while his heart broke. He didn't want to believe it, but there were too many suspicious elements in the whole story.

A heart is the size of one and a half of an adult fist. It distributes blood with oxygen around the body. It expands and compresses 100,000 times a day, 35 million times a year, 2,800 times in a lifetime.

Sometimes they break.

It may take a lifetime to mend it. It may mend partially in just one year.

If it breaks a second time, sometimes it doesn't ever mend.

"Sasuke?" said a voice from far, far away, even if the owner of the voice was just one meter away from him.

"Aa?" said Sasuke. Jiraiya was looking at him with apprehension.

"Never mind. For a moment I thought you looked like Itachi."

"Aa." Pause. "Was that praise or an insult?"

"You don't know?"

Sasuke thought about it.

"No, no really." Sasuke turned and left. He had to do some research, which would determine the path he would take for the rest of his life.

* * *

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I want to dedicate this chapter to all my reviewers and to my devoted betatester foxfire327.

So... I promised you a big surprise, and here it is. Everything that was the truth in this fic, it may be a lie. What is the truth? Where are the lies? In this chapter I wanted to clearly show a difference between the first part Sasuke-Kakashi, kind of warm, the second part, Lee-Sasuke, hilarious, and the third part, with Sasuke-Kakashi-suspicions really dark. I hope I succeeded.

A fair warning: The title of this fic is "The Uchiha Tragedy" The ending may NOT be a happy ending, but it doesn't mean it's going to be a bad ending. It just means that all the paths are open, and the future is undecided. The story may end with Sasuke killing Sakura while the kyubi destroys the world, or it may end with Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto hugging each other after each of them realizes their dreams. The future is open.

I also wanted to thank all the reviewers, because I always read the reviews, and I like to know what people think so I can write better.


	20. Master of Deception

**Chapter 20: Master at Deception**

_In the hidden villages, children are trained to be killing machines. However, they must not forget that battles are won not only through strength, but by intelligence. Shinobis must now about the art of gathering information, the art strategy, the art of lying to the enemy, the art of running away from desperate situations, and especially young shinobis must master the art of deception._

_I lived in the Hidden Village of the Leaf for most of my life. I had friends, a kind sensei, a girlfriend, and even adoptive parents that really loved me. Nobody ever suspected I was a spy._

_Yakushi Kabuto_

* * *

There was one building in the Leaf that symbolized the center of power in the village. The building was divided into two divisions: the upper floors belonged to the Strategy Division where the decisions of the highest level were made and strategies that ensured the survival of the village were decided. The Hokage usually worked and even lived there. The lower floors were reserved for the Intelligence Division headquarters which ran all the way to underground. The Intelligence Division by far occupied a larger space than the Strategy Division due to the numerous prisoners, spies and traitors that were kept there. Confessions were extracted, one way or the other on those floors. Most importantly, the decisions about how to execute the directives mandated from the Strategy Division were made also there, unless otherwise directed.

The Intelligence Division second commander Akarui had just finished his shift. He sighed. Torturing Sound prisoners was a complete waste of time. Orochimaru never told his subordinates anything, and he wasn't even interested in exchanging them for Leaf prisoners.

As he was just leaving the building using the entrance of the Intelligence Division; the guards at the entrance were just checking his identity card, when he saw his boss entering the building.

"Hey" said Morino Ibiki, captain of the Intelligence Division, specialized on Torture and Interrogation, cleaning his nose with a handkerchief" Anything new happened today? I have been sick at home today."

"Eh?" Akarui said. Ibiki had been sick? "I saw you inside just an hour ago!"

Ibiki looked at him, blinking.

"No way... I just arrived here... IT'S A SOUND SPY!"

Akarui cursed while he returned inside, closely followed by Ibiki. He barked some orders to the guards that were protecting the entrance. Immediately a dozen guards gathered and started following Akarui and Ibiki, hunting for the future dead body that had dared to enter the place where they took good care of spies. More guards were posted at the entrance, as to not allow confusion that could allow other spies to enter.

Akarui, always shadowed by Ibiki checked room after room, in some of them torture sessions or other forms of interrogation were being carried out at that very moment.

Finally they reached a room with what appeared to be a young woman, her contorted face covered by disheveled hair, tied up and slouching on a chair. It was, hard to count the number of teeth scattered across the floor. "Morino Ibiki" was looking at the newcomers with a surprised expression and his fist bloodied.

"What are you doing here?" asked the fake Morino Ibiki, as if he had any right to be there. Akarui felt anger when he saw the imposter inside the Intelligence Division, which he venerated.

"Get him!" Akarui yelled. Immediately the guards grabbed the surprised imposter, who uselessly tried to struggle.

"Akarui! I'm getting your _head_ after this!" yelled the imposter.

" Don't lie! I know you are a fake! Who sent you?"

"The fuck? I'm the real one!"

"It's true" The second Morino Ibiki confessed from the door. "I'm the fake." Fourteen pair of eyes turned to the door as Morino Ibiki disappeared and only a young boy remained. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I'm sorry for bothering you, Ibiki-san, but I have a request."

The real Morino Ibiki broke loose of the guards holding him and loomed threateningly over Sasuke.

"Pig!" He growled before his kunai slit the captive girl's throat wide. "Breaking into the Intelligence Division? I could kill you right now, and for the whole world you would have just disappeared!"

"Aa. I'd hardly call it breaking in. I just told your man here a little lie, and he showed me the way. Not one guard bothered to check my identification or if I was using Henge no jutsu." said Sasuke with a calm smile "Besides, in half an hour I'm having an A-level mission, and five people know I'm inside this building, including Uzumaki Naruto, who is really close to the Hokage. So I'm confident I'll live to see tomorrow."

"I don't care if the Hokage is your fucking mother" said Ibiki after the briefest pause, a pause that let Sasuke know that he had won. "I could still arrest you here. I have the authority..."

"This place is supposed to be the best guarded place in the whole Leaf besides the Hokage's building, and I needed just fifteen minutes of planning to get in." said Sasuke looking around, apparently not concerned at all "I guess the Hokage would love to know how effective the security you have here is. A lot of Sound prisoners are still alive and kept here. If I were one of Orochimaru's spies I could have freed at least ten of them without anybody noticing."

There was a pause as Sasuke smiled confidently. Ibiki looked carefully at Sasuke. He didn't understand what this little punk wanted, but he could deal with a thousand little brats like this one any time.

"Everybody out!" Ibiki ordered, and after everybody left, he pushed the dead girl who fell with a thump, and gave the chair to Sasuke" Well, let's hear your last wish before you suffer a sad accident or before I make you confess that it was actually you who killed the Third."

"I want to make a request" Sasuke said refusing the chair and bowing down. "I want to learn a genjutsu for interrogation."

"Are you stupid? You are risking your life just for asking me _that_? You could have asked from your sensei to teach you such an easy genjutsu."

"I could," said Sasuke with a grimace "but I want to interrogate my target without that target remembering any of the questions or the answers. Using normal genjutsu the target would remember them. I need a special genjutsu, and I figured out you would be the best specialist in the whole Leaf at it."

"You are risking your life just for that?"

"I have my reasons" said Sasuke with a dark frown.

Ibiki glared at Sasuke.

"The target... Is it a girl?"

"Sorry, but I'm not planning on using rape for this interrogation." explained Sasuke calmly.

"I wasn't talking about that." Ibiki said coldly "I have seen this pattern many times. People think their partners are cheating on them, and the fools think that using genjutsu to find out the truth is a good idea."

"Isn't it? It sounds as a good idea to me."

Ibiki regarded Sasuke coldly.

"I have a huge profile about you in my desk, Uchiha. It basically says that you are a potential danger to the Leaf because you are more interested in your revenge that in being a tool for the Village as we all must be. It mentions that you are gifted in taijutsu and ninjutsu, but that you are not interested in genjutsu because it's useless against your brother. It doesn't say you are a fucking idiot. I'll have to update the profile."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything else.

"Do you actually know what the basis in a relation is?" Ibiki continued.

"Not screwing around?" asked Sasuke without a speck of humor.

"Trust. If you don't trust your partner, it doesn't really matter if you put a spy 24-7 on your partner, or if you use genjutsu on that person every day. Your relationship is doomed."

"I didn't come here for counseling. I want to learn genjutsu so I can get rid of all the suspicions I have." said Sasuke, that was truly growing tired of speaking.

"That's the whole fucking point. Look, if it wasn't because you are the only one left in the Leaf that has the Sharingan, you would already be a permanent resident here and would spend the rest of your days being my personal toy. One hour ago you were just another name to spy. Right now if you ever make a mistake, I'll be very happy to torture you personally because you royally piss me off. However this time I'm saying this for your own good. Don't use the genjutsu. If you use it, it will mean that you don't trust your partner. You will be raping her thoughts. It may sound good, but the temptation is too strong. Then it won't matter if she cheated on you or not. It will be over. Your relationship will deteriorate until you can't hold it together."

"I already have Kakashi to give my boring lectures. I don't need anybody else" Sasuke commented calmly, who had already understood the reason Ibiki was so angry. He had used that genjutsu on somebody, and that relationship had gone to hell."

"Fuck you! Get out of here before I lock you up and throw away the key."

"If you try to arrest me you would eventually need to report to the Hokage, our common superior" said Sasuke, and his voice was suspiciously soft "As a matter of fact, even if you don't arrest me, as a concerned citizen I'd go to confess my act to the Hokage. The seriousness of the fact that I could so easily enter one the most heavily guarded places in the whole Leaf must be reported. Isn't it? Well, I guess I won't be able to tell anybody anything if you teach me that special genjutsu because I'd be very busy."

Ibiki took two steps forward. He finally understood why the Uchiha brat had done all that show of entering undetected in the Intelligence Division. It was actually to make him teach the damn genjutsu, whether he wanted it or not.

"You... you dare to try to _blackmail_ me, pig?" His hands were moving toward Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke looked back squarely at Ibiki. Then he fell down on his knees lowering his head almost touching the ground.

"Please, Ibiki-san, grant me this request, and I will owe you a favor. The Uchiha clan never forgets favors."

Ibiki was totally unprepared for that reaction. It was at that moment that he understood that Sasuke's action was not spontaneous, but actually prepared beforehand. First a threat, a threat so clear that it caused fear in the opponent. Next humiliating himself. Finally offering a good deal, so the opponent, with the pride safe, accepted the deal. That was an advanced interrogation technique. Interesting kid! ...

Oh shit!

Ibiki laughed violently, while Sasuke didn't even move.

"That's funny, Uchiha. I remember now that according to a report I read, your brother used the same tactic on your father almost before the Uchiha massacre."

Sasuke had a jolt, and he quickly stood up, his face with an expression of fury. Ibiki understood that Sasuke hadn't even noticed he had use the same trick as his brother. Funny, or tragic, the blood was always red.

"I don't have time to teach you, anyway. I have a lot of things more important to do."

"My request is just for today, Ibiki-san" said Sasuke that was desperately trying to regain his self-control. "I'm confident I'll be able to learn it in one day" His smile turned into a self confident smirk.

"HA! We are speaking about advanced genjutsu here. You will need at least a _month_ to learn it. Don't think you will be able to use your famous Sharingan. It's genjutsu we are talking about. Your Sharingan can't learn it." Most people wouldn't notice, but he was the captain of the Intelligence Division, specialized on Torture and Interrogation techniques. He had played thousand of tricks on his victims. Obviously he was noticing the trick the pig was using on him: The pig was baiting him, saying that he could do what he evidently couldn't, so that he would show the genjutsu.

"I'll just do my best" said simply Sasuke with an arrogant smile so full of himself, that Ibiki mentally decided that the plan had worked.

"Fine, you got my attention" Ibiki finally said. Well, it would be fun to see the brother of Uchiha Itachi.

Sasuke who knew that didn't have any options bowed respectfully. He could not live for one more day with the fear of not even knowing if Sakura had lied to him or not. The treason of Itachi had _hurt_. He didn't want to be harmed again. He didn't know if he could survive the pain again. He had to find out the truth immediately.

* * *

Morino Ibiki had read all the reports about the interest of Orochimaru in Sasuke. He hadn't understood Orochimaru. Weren't there any other geniuses in the Leaf? Every year there were one or two geniuses that graduated and there were plenty of powerful bloodlines in the Leaf Village. Why was he so interested in Sasuke? Personally, he preferred the Hyuga bloodline, with his perfect defense and his devastating gentle fist technique than the Uchiha Bloodline.

Now he understood. In barely two hours Uchiha Sasuke had learned to use the hypnosis perfectly when a normal person would need three months. Two months if the person was really talented. A genius like him, head of the Intelligence Division, had needed one month and three weeks.

The pig was the same as the snake Orochimaru. No barrier put by humans would ever stop any of them. Both of them would tear out any obstacles in the way of their dreams.

Still, he only had to say something and the pig would have a fit: Uchiha Itachi had learned the same technique in five minutes, back when he was in the Leaf. There was one wall even the pig could not ever surpass: The difference in skill with Itachi. It was actually a sad tragedy. No matter how hard the pig trained, there was no way he could ever beat Itachi. The former successor of the Uchiha family was a true genius, a fighter with breath-taking ability and battle instinct.

"Are you fucking done yet?"

"I'm done, Ibiki-sensei" answered Sasuke bowing respectfully, and who was keeping a secret from the disfigured bastard in front of him. He hadn't told him that using the Sharingan, he could see the flow of chakra, and he would distinguish if the person was truly hypnotized or not. "Thank you very much for your kindness and help."

"Then get out of here! I don't want to see your mug around here. And I'm going with you. I don't want you walking alone this building. Kami-sama knows what you would do."

Sasuke lighted a cigarette and walked confidently through the huge corridors, straight to the exit. Ibiki followed him.

"How do you know the way to the exit? Have you stolen the blueprints of the whole building?"

"I just memorized the way from before." answered Sasuke. Ibiki decided that the pig was too dangerous. Memorizing the way in the maze that was the underground building in just one moment while he followed his stupid XO who had been randomly from room to room and from corridor to corridor was nothing sort of impressive.

In that moment one adjacent door opened and one huge bearded man got out of one huge room, while cleaning the flesh that had stuck to his teeth. The man looked at Sasuke and showed an expression of pleasure. Ibiki looked with keen interest at Sasuke. He didn't appear disturbed for Shiichi, a sadist even for Intelligence Division's standards, not even for the butchery inside of the room

"I don't think that one is going to confess anything again" Sasuke commented, pointing to one "person" in the middle of the room tied on a chair. There were other four people also tied, and with various expressions of terror or shock watching the carnage.

"The trick is terrorizing the others to speak. As long as Shiichi is around, those spies will fight for the right to confess everything they know."

"What a waste" Sasuke said serenely "I knew that guy. He's Akado Yoroi. I fought against him in the preliminaries of my first chuunin exam. He's the person I first used Lion Rendan against."

"He wasn't useful anymore. We had extracted all the information he had already. The others spies have been captured more recently." explained Ibiki. He looked squarely at Sasuke "You are a cold one. I have had rookies turning traitors just for watching something like this."

"I came here mentally prepared. I believe to pay a visit here should be mandatory for recently academy graduates. A good wake up for idealistic dreams of my team-mates would have saved me a lot of headaches."

"Are you interested in joining the Intelligence Division?" asked suddenly Ibiki.

"No."

"It's a pity. You would really be good at this. The way you tricked your way here proves that you are a master at deception." Ibiki said, and blinked when Sasuke's smile turned wild.

"You are wrong. The true Master at Deception is my brother Itachi. He perfectly hid his lies until he showed his true face" Sasuke sighed, still with that smile "Do you want to know what pisses me off the most in my brother? Almost more than the actual massacre was the treason, the betrayal of trust."

"_After all, it's not that you married her by your own free will and you already know she is not pregnant" Kakashi was saying._

"I really loved my brother, I really did..." continued saying Sasuke.

_Sakura leaned on the chair, letting Sasuke brush her hair._

"... And I always thought he also loved me. He was my brother, damn it!"

_Sakura smiled and hugged Sasuke although even raising her arms was an unbearably effort. He held her for a long time, even if for both of them was too short. Then he put her under a tree. She managed to sit, leaning against the trunk of the tree. He sat down, leaning against the same tree._

"... I would have done anything for him. I mean it, anything..."

"_...please accept this" Sasuke said, gently taking her hand and putting a ring in her finger. She smiled and blushed .As in cue, a small wind went through the window. It was like a painting: Sasuke like a knight in black, kneeling in front of Sakura with the wind blowing her hair._

"And there is something I really want to know. I _really_ need to know. When did Itachi plan the massacre? Was it just a spur of the moment, or maybe it had been planned for years?"

"_Sasuke-kun, do you want to train together?" asked a young girl._

_Sasuke raised his eyes. It was a classmate. What was her name? Sakura! That was it! Weird name. Damn his back luck! Just the day after he read about the Original Uchiha Massacre, first day he returned to school after _that man_ had killed his clan and a person with the same name as the Sakura of the Original Uchiha Massacre started bothering him._

"_No." He said. That would be the first time she bothered him, but not the last._

One golden rule of interrogators is that you have to stare at the eyes when the other's self control breaks up, because at that moment you can see what's hidden. Ibiki was staring into Sasuke's eyes which were fierce and furious, the look emanating from them tortured.

"Well," said Sasuke finally calming down as their reached the door. Ibiki was really curious why he had lost temporarily lost control like that "I'm off. Thanks for the help."

"You don't really have an A-mission waiting for you, do you?"

"No, there isn't. There is not even a soul that knows I'm here." Ibiki understood that Sasuke didn't appreciate his life very much.

"I was with Itachi on one of his last ANBU missions" Ibiki suddenly said. Giving away information for free was against his beliefs. However this case interested him.

"If you are going to tell me how strong Itachi was, don't bother. I have been hearing that for years" warned Sasuke, his expression again turning dark.

"He was more than strong. We had a small skirmish, and he killed single two jounins missin-nins in seconds. However when I looked at him after the carnage... I thought he looked really sad."

"Aa" Sasuke said, wondering if he had the face of someone that was actually interested in other people's mental traumas.

"Your eyes remind me of him now" Ibiki stated.

There was a silence after those words.

"Do you want to know the reason I have started to smoke?" said Sasuke smashing the cigarette on his palm with hate "It's because I have to smoke one cigarette every time I kill people, or where people I know die."

"I don't get it."

"I killed the Four Sound and it scared me the fact that I killed human beings. Last month there was a mission where Team 7 had to infiltrate one military camp. I slit the throats of ten guards and it didn't even bother me." Sasuke sighed "So every time I kill people or people I care die, I smoke, which is bad for my health. It's my way of not being like Itachi. It's my way of caring about people I kill" He took the smashed cigarette and showed it to Ibiki "This is for those guards and the others twenty three people we killed."

"You will never be like Itachi, because he is too strong." Pause "He is far stronger than you."

Sasuke gave Ibiki and blank stare. He wordlessly shrugged as he left.

Ibiki decided to look on the information about Sakura. How that girl made Sasuke stay in the Leaf was something he couldn't fathom. Sakura, Sakura, the name reminded him of something. That name appeared in the Uchiha folder. Wasn't Sakura the name of the woman that had killed the creator of the Uchiha clan and then killed her son during the Uchiha rebellion against the Hyugas? No. She had killed only herself and her husband, right? No... Damn! He'd have to read the files again.

* * *

Sasuke was walking to the Uchiha district desperately slow, wondering what was going to happen. He was watching each step he was making that put him closer to Sakura.

It made a lot of sense to check if Sakura was lying to him or not, wasn't it? He was a shinobi. She was a shinobi. Itachi was a shinobi. He had to make sure. Itachi had lied to him. He had killed his whole clan. Now there were some signals that seemed to indicate that he was being cheated on. It made a lot of sense to check if Sakura was lying to him or not, wasn't it?

If his father had truly acted as the head of his clan and had investigated the obvious hints Itachi was giving, the whole FUCKING clan would be alive. He had to make sure. It made a lot of sense to check if Sakura was lying to him or not, wasn't it?

Shit!

"Sasuke! Let's fight again! I feel I'm on a row and I want our destinies to meet again as we clash in a fight of titans!"

Sasuke counted until twenty and raised his eyes. Rock Lee was there, adopting another of his typical battle poses in the middle of the street.

Sasuke kept walking past him. This time he didn't have time _at all_ for Lee's ridiculous antics.

"Sasuke! Don't run away! Are we afraid of proving your strength to yourself?"

Sasuke exhaled the longest sigh and moved to position. Sakura was going to get angry if he didn't...

Sasuke's mood darkened considerably.

"Is your time to issue the challenge! What are we going to do?" yelled Lee.

"What about simple fists fighting?" asked Sasuke smiling softly after a long pause. A smile that Lee thought was _really_ creepy "No fancy taijutsu moves, no low or high kicks, no incredible techniques, just straight on pure fists. Fair enough?"

"Hai! If I don't beat you I'll go again to Huki Mountain and back!" yelled Lee kicking at high speed the air.

Sasuke didn't react as Lee ran at him. Lee moved fast. His punch went deep in his gut, and as he staggered, Lee hit again in the face. Blood poured from Sasuke's nose, and dirtied Lee's bandages. Sasuke was pushed against the wall, with no place to back away. He still didn't react, not even as Lee kept on striking him without pause or rest for a interminable energy.

Finally Lee backed away a few seconds to see if Sasuke was planning something. Sasuke was staring into space, while his legs quivering, like refusing to keep on supporting Sasuke. Lee nodded and ran at him at maximum speed, set on ending that fight at that moment.

At the last possible second Sasuke diverted the blow and punched Lee in the face using Lee's own momentum.

Sasuke took a few steps forward, looking at Lee's direction and he said

"I love you."

Lee that was going to go forward again froze in confusion, and didn't have time to block Sasuke's three fast punches.

"I really love you." Sasuke said, looking at Lee's face. "Did you lie to me from the beginning?"

Lee was trying to understand what was going on, but that was a hard thing to do under Sasuke's onslaught of precise strikes. Lee tried to block them, but Sasuke seemed to know his movements before he even thought about them.

"Did you really love me? Every time you told me you loved me, was it always a lie?" He repeated. Lee thought that Sasuke looked like he wanted to cry. Another of Sasuke's precise punches, and Lee felt his back painfully connecting with a tree.

"Are you telling me that everything, every single thing we have built together...? Are you telling me that everything was just a _lie_!" Sasuke concentrated the chakra in his hand and dashed ahead.

Lee saw the fist moving toward but didn't have the time or the energy to react, and closed the eyes as the fist got closer.

Lee heard the sound of the impact but didn't feel anything. He opened to eyes to see Sasuke's trembling fist on him, almost touching his head. The trunk of the tree he had been leaning on was broken. Finally Sasuke moved away.

"You lost. If this were a real fight, you'd be dead." Sasuke put his trembling arms behind him, and smiled widely "Nice challenge. This is the first time I have use this technique, saying totally stupid sentences to distract your enemy. See you around."

Sasuke hurried up, still trying to hide his trembling arms when somebody else intercepted his way, somebody that apparently liked the white a lot, considering his clothes.

"What do you want, Hyuga?" He said.

Hyuga Neji just glared at him. Sasuke doubted that he wanted to avenge Lee, since it wasn't the first time he had just stared while he beat Lee up. Besides anybody would be happy of seeing Lee beaten up.

He had seen that fight against the Hyuga family almost a year ago, but it was very unlikely that Hyuga Neji from the branch family would get into a fight for the Main family unless under a direct order.

Sasuke walked past him. He didn't have time for whatever he wanted.

"Please! Take care of her!" yelled Neji.

Sasuke turned around, but Neji was already walking away.

As far as he knew, Neji and Sakura had barely exchanged greetings. It could be that Neji had a secret crush on her, but he very much doubted it. It didn't made sense to say that a year after their wedding. So, if that "her" wasn't Sakura, who was it? Or was it really Sakura? Shit! Too confusing.

Well, it didn't really matter. He had another mystery to solve, and if he had been lied to, then he was leaving the Leaf FOREVER.

Lowering his eyes, Sasuke kept walking, and finally entered the Uchiha district.

He was so distracted that he didn't hear the noises until he raised the eyes.

The bloodbath in the Intelligence Division hadn't made him want to scream terror at all.

The vision in front of him did

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

* * *

XO: Executive Officer. It's a military term.

Thank you again to Allison, my betatester, for all her kind help

Well, did you like the chapter? It ended in a cliffhanger. I'm pure evil ;) What do you think that could make Sasuke cry in terror?

Did you like the part where Sasuke was talking about Itachi, but actually thinking about Sakura? And what about the part that Sasuke tells Lee "I love you" actually talking to Sakura? It's disturbing, especially to poor Lee.

This chapter is really dark, but Naruto is a tale about children that are raised to be killing machines, or more especifically, emotionless tools for the Village. This story is going to be DARK, I'm warning you.

More comments about the Original Uchiha Tragedy, (the story is called the Uchiha Tragedy, anyway), some comments about the mysterious Uchiha Itachi, and an original comment about a reason to smoke. All to please my reviewers and readers.

I am planning on writing some original Naru-Hina, that is, if they survive till the end. Don't forget that I will not be shy on killing any of the main characters.


	21. Trust

**Chapter 21: Trust.**

_I really trusted Orochimaru with all my heart_

The Third

_I trusted my brother. I'll never again trust anybody._

Uchiha Sasuke

--------

Sasuke knew that what he was watching couldn't be happening.

What Sasuke was watching (and fearing) was a group of children, playing in a park that had been empty since _that_ night.

Children didn't enter into the Uchiha district. Actually, nobody ever entered the Uchiha district. He had seen it. He had stood silently on desert rooftops watching people walking distractedly toward the Uchiha district… and turning around at the last moment, probably without them even realizing. He had discovered that the best way to lose the occasional school-fan was walking straight to the Uchiha district. Nobody ever followed. He didn't know if it was because there was a mysterious aura that scared people without them being aware of it, or maybe it was just the unnatural silence that hung in those streets. He didn't know or care because he liked the silence.

What were those children playing in that park in the middle of the Uchiha district?

Sasuke was sure for a second that those were not real children, but spirits of the children that used to play there. Just then he noticed all the people walking around. There weren't that many people, considering the lateness of the hour. Still he hadn't seen so many people in the Uchiha district since a lifetime ago.

Why were the lights of the houses on? They were supposed to be dark. Why were people coming in and out of the houses? What the hell was going on!

"Uchiha-san?" asked a voice.

Sasuke turned to see a young woman holding the hand of a child

"Hi, neighbor. Nice to see you." She said without giving any further explanations.

"Aa" Sasuke was wondering why nobody bothered to explain to him things. Just once it would be nice to understand the situation without any questioning.

"This part of the city is booming with new residents! I think it's impressive. So young and still you are taking the responsibility of having so many tenants!"

"Aa" He said, still not understanding.

"I think it was a good idea to also rent the stores. That way we won't have to travel far to buy groceries. Don't you think it was a bit risky to rent so many houses at the same time?" The woman kept speaking

"Aa" he agreed. He wasn't very good with words, but at least he was smart. He was watching Sakura's shadow all over this "Sorry, I just got back from a shinobi mission, and I'm tired."

"A mission? But I thought you I saw you the other day around here"

"Aa." He said. He had finally understood. Henge no Jutsu, probably Naruto. However the mastermind had to be someone else "It was a night mission."

After saying that he left straight to his house, deciding that he didn't have to ask Sakura questions about what happened that night. Their marriage was over, anyway. Those houses weren't hers to rent. They weren't even his. They belonged to their real owners, the ones that had been killed by Itachi. She didn't have any right to rent them.

He reached his home and entered the garden. He was going to storm inside the house when he fell three chakras inside. He calmed while he tried to determine who they were

"ONLY ONE TIME! YOU HAVE KISSED ONLY ONE TIME! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

Well, one of them was clearly Ino. He didn't particularly want to stay close to that stalker. She would probably try to kiss him again.

He started to move away

"Who's there?" asked Sakura from inside the house. Sasuke mentally cursed. He had been careful. Sakura's abilities for detecting intruders were really good.

He didn't move, hoping that she wouldn't go check.

"Hi, neighbor." said a new voice, a voice that could see through walls, a voice that he didn't expect to be inside his home, a voice that he didn't particularly want to hear inside his home. That was the first time he heard that voice without any stuttering.

"Hi Ino, Hinata" said Sasuke entering his home. He was surprised that Hinata was bold enough to enter the Uchiha district and to risk the wrath of her father who had forbidden her to do so. Just then he noticed her last word. Neighbor?

"What happened?" yelled Sakura when he noticed his battered face.

"Just a little fight. Another challenge from Lee"

"You just _had_ to get into another fight before coming to see me" complained Sakura with her usual sweet voice, hurrying to get the first aid kit. Sasuke took a glance at the welcoming smiles of Ino and Hinata, and quickly decided to follow Sakura.

"Sakura, what...?" started Sasuke while she applied some ointment with a smell of dead rats to his wounds. He wanted to ask about the new renters. Didn't she know their marriage was in danger? And what was a Hyuga doing in the Uchiha district, anyway? Her father was going to kill Hinata. When she had said "neighbor"... that had been a joke. Right? _Right_?

Sakura put a finger on his lips and smiled.

"I'll explain later" she said, and Sasuke sighed as he saw the Uchiha symbol on her back while she moved toward the living room and her guests.

Sasuke lied in the bathroom applying a piece of ice to the bump on his head. He was actually smiling. The day had started in a crazy way, now his whole life was spinning out of control, and the day wasn't even finished yet. It probably was due to his increasing paranoia, but he was starting to suspect that Lee's crazy challenge had been actually suggested by Sakura.

That was an interesting train of thought. That way she would have had enough time to change everything around the neighborhood. Well, at least she couldn't do much around the house. His perfect and efficiency-adapted house had gone to hell after one year. If Sakura ever quit as a shinobi, she could find a job as an interior designer. She had started to say that his old house was cold and that she wanted it to become a home. Every single thing that had been immobile for five years had started to stir. It's not that he didn't like the new changes, however almost every single thing in the house was different from...

Sasuke suddenly remembered that while he had helped her in everything she had asked, there were two rooms he hadn't allowed her to change. He ran until he reached his parents room. The room where the two people that had looked like invincible and eternal when he was seven years old had lived.

He breathed deeply and opened the door. The layer of dust that had been gathering for years was gone. Even the atmosphere seemed to have eased.

If she had cleaned that room...

Sasuke bolted until he reached a room, which he always tried to avoid when walking around the house. He held a handle that he hadn't touched in four years and a half, twisted it, and he saw a room which he had once painted black as an expression of hate.

Sakura had changed Itachi's room into a storage room. Sasuke would have screamed right then.

After walking thirty seven times around the house, he settled on the porch. He angrily took out a cigarette. That was it. Their relationship was over. Dead. Finished. She didn't have any right to do that. She had gone too far. He was going to have a long smoke for the end of something; for the end of a dream, for the end of his forsaken marriage.

He made a one-hand seal and a small fire appeared on his finger. He moved the finger closer to the cigarette... He moved the finger away. He smashed the unlit cigarette with hate to the ground.

He looked at the garden and exhaled air. He liked very much the new garden. It used to be a garden when his parents were alive. Then his brother had come along, and he just wasn't interested in flowers. He had married, and she had decided to take care of the garden. He had been sure that there was not way she could do anything with the garden. He had been wrong. The garden had bloomed. There was a carpet of brilliant colors and proud plants. The most common type of flowers was Chrysanthemums, her favorite type of flowers. They symbolized truthful love, according to Sakura. They had become his favorite type of flowers too

It was a perfect metaphor of their relationship. Somehow Sakura had found his secret spring and she had made it bloom. He didn't want to end the relationship. Sakura was really annoying, but he loved her. He wanted to believe that among any lies that there could be, there was one truth: They loved each other.

"Sasuke-kun?" said a voice from behind "I'm leaving now."

Sasuke jumped away. How come every woman in the world managed to surprise him?

"Aa." said Sasuke. "How are you doing, Ino?" He was ready to run away if she tried to kiss him again.

"Sasuke-kun" Ino breathed slowly staring at him and she smiled "I give up on you."

"Aa?" Exactly how long he had been gone. Only thirteen days?

"I lost. I love you, but Sakura has won. I have never seen you happier. You really love each other. I don't want to interfere with your happiness."

"Aa" said Sasuke. Was he happy? Did he really look that happy?

"Don't worry about me. I have noticed somebody I never paid attention before. He is really reliable and a great friend. I think we can become something else."

"Aa" He wasn't really worried about her. "Who is it?" It's not that he cared, but he was curious about who she had chosen after him.

"It's Chouji" she said, blushing. "I'm having a date with him today."

"Aa." He stared at her back as she left "She chose Chouji after me?" He asked himself.

He got up and walked until the bathroom. He stared at the mirror. The Sasuke that was looking at him didn't look at all like Itachi.

«Do I look so happy? » He smiled in front of the mirror. The smile looked natural, and it came naturally to the face. He had done the same one year ago, and the smile had seemed a fake.

"Sasuke-kun, Sakura-chan, I'll be leaving now. It would be too dangerous to stay here" Hinata announced. She had suddenly appeared with Sakura, surprising him as always. He was supposed to be a shinobi, a person that was always aware of everything that happened around him, a person that never let anybody surprise him. He had trained day and night for that purpose. Well, at least Itachi was male.

"Bye, Hinata-chan" Sakura smiled. He silently supposed Hinata was going to leave the house. Instead she went to the library. Sasuke didn't move, and a few seconds later he heard the sound of a mechanism

"Sakura" almost yelled Sasuke. To his credit, he waited until he didn't fell Hinata's chakra anymore "How does Hinata know the underground passage?" The same underground tunnel that ran under the Uchiha district and communicated five of the most important houses in the district. He had always used it to escape from the ANBU that had kept a watch on him. Only he and his brother were supposed to know about it. He had confided the secret to Sakura early in their relation.

"It's because she has ran from the Hyuga clan. She has renounced her last name" Sakura explained. "She is hiding inside the tunnels right now. The Hyugas think she is hiding outside the village."

"Wait, wait, wait" Sasuke pleaded trying to process so much information at the same time. "She ran from her clan? According to traditional law, any clan has the right to kill a traitor. It hasn't been done in a long time, but..."

"That's right" agreed Sakura "We still don't know what the Hyuga clan is planning, so we and the others, that is, Naruto, Shino and Kiba, decided that she should hide here. Shino used Henge no Jutsu to make them think Hinata was outside the village."

"Aa." Pause "Haven't you asked to anybody else for help?"

"No" Sakura smiled. The smile that had made Sasuke, against his will, to fall in love with her "We ourselves are enough. We don't need outsiders' help."

"It's not that I care, but offering her shelter is making a serious offence against the most powerful clan of the Leaf. You could have asked me first, couldn't you?"

"Well, that wasn't planned as the rest. She suddenly ran out of her house when she got fed up of them. I made up a plan to ensure the Hyuga clan doesn't finish her off. I was going to do it myself, but since you are here you can do it better."

"Aa" he said. Even if he was managing to put up a stern face, he was actually proud of her. He liked a lot her initiative and boldness. She wasn't like that before. Indeed, she had changed. Now he had to discuss about the changes in the neighborhood.

"Sakura. What happened when I was gone?"

Sakura smiled. Her smile was at the same time strong-willed and sweet.

"I rented most of the houses that were empty. I used Lee because I knew you wouldn't approve. Now with all the houses rented for a year, you won't be able to rescind the contracts."

Sasuke considered that he should be angry. However he couldn't stare at Sakura's eyes and remain irritated.

"Why? Sakura, what do you want from me? Did you really have to clean up my parent's and _that man's_ room"

"Didn't you read my diary? Sasuke-kun, I want to break every single wall around your heart and I don't give up on my dreams" Sasuke's heart was already stirring.

"You didn't have any right. Those houses were not yours. They belong..."

"Their owners are dead, Sasuke-kun." She said sadly "Isn't it time you tried to keep on living?"

There was a long pause between them. Sasuke was being forced again to remember all the fallen loved ones, and Sakura knew what she was forcing Sasuke to. She was being unfair, but she needed to do that. She needed to make Sasuke confront his own pain.

"It was really painful, you know?" said Sasuke closing his eyes. "Every single one of them... The images still haunt my dreams."

"I can't know it. The pain you experienced, the duty you took upon yourself, I can't know it. But... it was six years ago, Sasuke-kun. I am not asking you to forget it, but at least you should try to survive that night."

"To survive?" Sasuke angrily looked at her "I survived that night! I am stronger than ever! I have a fighting chance now which I didn't have before. I have dealt and survived with everything that happened to me!"

"You didn't really survive. You just moved your pain to a deep place, and kept on living one day after the other. You focused your pain on Itachi, and used every single memory to add oil to your flame of revenge. I just tried at least to remove the painful memories a little away from you."

Sakura felt Sasuke's pain and anger when he mentioned Itachi. Sasuke turned around and started to leave. Then he stopped. After a few seconds, Sakura took a few steps forward and tentatively reached with her hand to him.

"I can't and won't forget them, Sakura." Warned Sasuke who was still not facing her "All the pain... I won't. They all died. If I don't remember them, who will? There is no one else left that can remember them. There is no one else left that can avenge them."

"I am not asking you to forget your pain. But at least make it a part of your life; don't make it your whole life."

Sasuke was still. Sakura put an arm on his shoulder

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, could you at least try it for me, please?"

"Whatever" Sasuke slowly said "I guess I could try."

"Thanks" Came the sweet voice of Sakura."

Sasuke smiled, as always, against his will. He slowly turned around.

"You know, Sakura. There used to be only darkness around me, but I believe that if I fall, you at least would try to pull me up."

"I will I always will." she said, and smiled again

Sasuke knew that was the way it was supposed to end. However it could not be. He had that tendency to destroy the romantic moments between them.

"Sakura, I developed a new jutsu just before you made Lee challenge me, and I didn't have time to practice it with Kakashi-sensei. Can I practice it with you? It will be just a moment" The lie was burning his lips

"Sure" she said. Always too trusting of him, he sadly decided.

-------------------

Sakura's eyes were following the coin that was rhythmically moving from one finger to another. He was also whistling in a tune below human hearing. It took him more than ten minutes, but finally her chakra flow started to change. Her eyes were still open, but slightly unfocused. In those cases, the Sharingan was really useful to see her hypnotized chakra flow.

Well, everything was going to be really easy. He just had to ask a few questions and he would be sure if Sakura was lying to him or not, if their relationship was going to end or not.

"Sakura, can you hear me?"

"Hai."

Actually he _was_ a little paranoid. The evidences he had were unsubstantiated and unconvincing. True, Kakashi and Tsunade hadn't asked the reasons behind their sudden marriage. Well, it could be that Kakashi quickly deduced it. True, Kakashi had been angry, and Kakashi was never angry. However Kakashi was really mysterious, anyway. Hell, he and Sakura had suddenly married. People didn't act the same in extraordinary circumstances.

"Sakura, one year ago, we... we..." That was hard to say it.

Tsunade didn't ask either. Well, they didn't really know each other. Maybe she just wasn't interested. She had woken up from a hangover, after all.

"Sakura" Sasuke tried again "Do you really love..."

The Sound Four had laughed. Was he going to doubt Sakura just because those wackos, which he _didn't know at all_, had laughed? He had had the impression the twin brother had something else to say. That was so groundless he shouldn't even comment on it.

"Sakura, did you ever lie to..." Screw it all. Proof? What proof did he want? Maybe Kakashi had warned Sakura that he was already suspicious, and she had learned to control her chakra flow. He would never have total proof that somebody was not going to betray him the next day. That was the place where trust entered.

"KAI!" Sasuke finally yelled. Sakura blinked once, twice. She smiled at him

"The jutsu didn't work?" She asked. The genjutsu's memory-erasing capabilities were disquieting, Sasuke admitted.

"Sakura, I have to ask you something really important. Please tell me the truth. I won't be angry." Sasuke held his breath "Did you ever lie to me?"

"Hai." Sasuke felt as if the world fell around him "I lied to you. I'm sorry. I made Lee challenge you and I didn't tell you anything."

"You never lied to me other than that?"

"No, never" she answered. He believed her. He would not need any other proof than that. He believed her. He maybe was a fool. He maybe didn't ever learn. Still, he believed her. "Sasuke-kun, what's going on?"

"I used a genjutsu against you. Sakura, I had some suspicions that you had been lying to me. I learned the genjutsu to see if you were saying the truth or not regarding what happened on the night when we got drunk" he explained. She deserved the truth.

The face of Sakura was very neutral for a second. Then all the endless hours of training Sasuke had endured to react fast were useless when Sakura violently slapped him.

"A lie? You think it was all a lie!" She yelled.

Before Sasuke could react, Sakura had run to their room and closed the door. Sasuke stood stunned for some seconds. He ran after her. He didn't understand what was wrong with her. They were shinobis after all. Shinobis were supposed to be cunning.

"Sakura, please, open the door." He asked. It would be all right if he explained to her.

Desperation came after only thirteen seconds. He started knocking the door again. He was feeling the darkness around him. At the beginning of their relationship he had wanted her to act like that, to be angry with him. That way their parting wouldn't be painful for her. That way she wouldn't suffer as he was suffering right at that moment.

"Sakura, open the door, damn it! What's wrong?" Fear. The fear was gripping his heart. He couldn't think straight.

"I'm angry! I get hurt when people think I have been deceiving them for a year!" yelled Sakura from the other side of the door. "Did you forget to ask me that when you were using genjutsu?"

"I didn't ask you anything!" Sasuke yelled "I used the genjutsu but I changed my mind. I decided to ask you! I decided to trust you!" The door remained closed.

Sasuke wondered how the hell he could have believed she was lying. All his suspicions had been just a defense mechanism because he had been scared of her. He had been dead the longest time. He had forgotten how to enjoy life. He had been scared of life. The problem was not her. It was him.

"Sakura!" He pleaded, for the first time in six years, almost crying. His actions were uncoordinated. He didn't know what to do. He had no plan, no action to take. His mind was saturated with multiple thoughts. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what his next move was He had always been able to deal with what ever fucked up thing life dealt him. But how could he deal with this? What was he going to do now? Millions of questions flew in and out of mind. The sad part was he didn't have any answers

Sasuke turned around and leaned against the wall. The world was spinning. He was having a panic attack. He was going to be alone again. It was his fault again. He hadn't been able to stop Itachi then, and now he had lost Sakura because of his paranoia.

Just then the door opened, and Sakura stepped out. Sasuke wanted to hug her, but he was too afraid. Sakura took a few steps forward, and put her hands on his shoulders

"Sasuke" she said looking straight at Sasuke. It was the first time she didn't add the " –kun" "That night, we both got drunk, and we made love. It was a mistake we both made, but it was the sweetest mistake I have ever made. I don't repent of anything I did. We have been living together one year, and I want to be together the rest of my life with you. That's the whole truth."

"Sakura" he whispered. He had lost control. He had felt panic when he had thought he was going to lose her. He didn't want to lose her.

Sasuke raised a hand, and touched her face to make sure he was not suffering a hallucination. He smiled, staring straight at her eyes. At first she was smiling too. She put her hand on top of his to ensure she was there, and would always be with him. Then the smile disappeared from their faces.

Their eyes were completely locked on each other. They slowly moved closer, their faces desperately slowly moved closer. After some agonizing moments, their lips locked together, drawing breath from each other.

That was their first kiss since they had gotten married. It had been one year between the first and their second kiss.

Both of them would have said that the wait had been worth it.

------

"Am I interrupting anything?" Sasuke asked as he walked calmly to the center of the square where the Assembly of the Hyugas was taking place and where the fate of Hinata was being decided. Innumerable white eyes were staring at him, the intruder that dared to interrupt the Assembly.

Sasuke walked with a confident face that was actually very far being real. He didn't like Sakura's plan. Shinobis should be intrepid not mad. He did at least two hours of research about on Morino Ibiki's personality before he had dared to enter into the Intelligence Division. The plan Sakura devised to save Hinata looked interesting but was full of holes. There should have been at least five or six alternative plans in case things went wrong. The most important thing was to prepare an escape route. In the meeting with Ibiki, he had been wearing explosives in his shoes in case Ibiki acted illogically.

"How are you doing Hiashi-dono?" Sasuke asked, looking straight to the person sitting in front of him. That was another thing he didn't like of the plan. He could deal with the personality of one person and adapt to manipulate it. To manipulate a whole assembly was far more difficult, as the more radical and outspoken elements had a tendency to take control of the situation

"Uchiha-dono" Hiashi greeted. "Our spies have reported that the traitor doesn't seem to be on the territory of the Aburame or the Inuzuka clans. I was just thinking that she could be in the district of the Uchiha clan."

"Oh! Now she is just "the traitor" I don't have anything to do with it I was away when it was proven that you couldn't even control your own shinobis." said Sasuke with a smile, returning the words Hiashi had said once. Naruto had said that returning the "scaredly cat" comment during the chuunin exam had felt really good. Naruto had been right, it felt _truly_ good. He could feel the angry stared of the Hyugas around him. He would have really, really loved if the plan had an escape route. "However, I met her in my way back, and she offered me a deal for you, a deal that if you don't accept, it will mean the end of the Hyuga clan as it is now."

"A deal? Do you think you or that traitor can deal with us?"

"I have the Sharingan, Hiashi-dono. Hinata belonged to the Main Family, and she knows the secret hand seal that activates the Branch Family's seal. It wasn't that hard to learn it. If anything happens to her, I will make sure that all of the people I know learn it from me. It's only a matter of time before your enemies find out about your secret as well. Think about it, the whole Branch family would eventually become useless in combat; the main family would be forced to stop branding new generations.

This time besides anger Sasuke felt fear around him. If he knew the hand seal, he could kill the whole Branch Family in seconds. The secret had been inside the Hyuga clan for generations and if it ever got out...

"Or we could kill you right here right now. You are the last of the Uchihas" said a new voice: Neji.

Sasuke smiled. It was all inside the plan. There was only one person that Hinata had trusted inside the Hyuga clan, and surprisingly that person was Neji. He had thought that Hinata had been very stupid trusting somebody that had tried to kill her in the past, but it was too late. Since Neji had the sympathy of Hiashi, Sakura had included him in the key part of the plan.

"You could, but the Uchiha clan has a lot of allies. And" he extended his hands. In one second, multiple shadows appeared in the rooftop around the square. The Hyuga jounins were the first to react and immediately adapted defensive positions "I called a few favors" Sasuke concluded with a smile.

Sasuke moved out of the square, walking straight to Neji. When Neji lowered his head and didn't move, nobody else did, exactly as he had planned.

"It won't be easy to kill me after Neji said those words with so many witnesses" he commented. All the shadows that surrounded the square were wearing ANBU uniforms, including the masks that hid their identity. Sasuke walked until the corner of the square, and turned around "Will you leave her alone? Or maybe you want to risk the existence of the Hyuga clan?"

Sakura's plan included him leaving right then with the fake ANBU. They Hyuga clan would bicker for hours, but wouldn't dare do anything.

Hanabi's interruption was not in the plan.

"We accept." Her voice was clear. "As long as the Uchiha clan is alive we won't do anything." Her suspiciously sweet smile caused Sasuke to shiver

"Are you threatening me, Hanabi-chan?" He asked. Again, no wonder Hiashi wanted the younger sister as head of the clan. She was a real bitch.

"This is a treaty of peace. It is actually a trap. You Uchihas are beasts. You will fight each other until there is only two left. Those two will fight each other until there is only one left. The one left will kill itself." She recited with words that had been said hundred of years ago. Her smile turned wicked "The prophecy was said a long time ago, but already only two Uchihas are left. It's just a matter of time before the rest of the prophecy becomes true. You can tell my sister that she will have time until then."

"So, that _was_ a prophecy. We thought it had been just a sore loser's last words" Sasuke commented. Most of the Hyugas were looking from him to her. They didn't know what they were speaking about. Obviously, it was supposed to be a secret. Problem was, people had written about it. The Uchiha clan was no longer there to hide the shameful way they had been born.

Sasuke was shaky. He knew the plan had worked. The Hyuga clan would leave Hinata alone for the moment. However he wasn't expecting Hanabi to recite the words that the leader of the Hyuga had said during the peace talks that had ended the conflict between the Uchiha and the Hyuga clan, after the Original Uchiha Tragedy had ended.

Sasuke would have loved to give her a retort, but the plan had worked, and it was time to leave. He was not going to let a Hyuga scare him. He was not going to let a Hyuga make him lose sleep with that old prophecy said hundred of years ago. Damn her!

The ANBU followed. Only after they were far away from the Hyuga district, the fake ANBU disappeared, and Naruto smiled and got closer to Sasuke

"Sasuke. The plan worked perfectly. The combination between my Henge no Jutsu and my shadow clones is perfect!" yelled Naruto. Sakura laughed also with him, still wearing her fake ANBU uniform.

"Aa." said Sasuke smiling. It was one of the good things about Naruto and Sakura. It was impossible to keep a depressed mood around them.

"Hey, what was that girl speaking about? What is that prophecy?" asked Naruto.

"That's..." started to say Sasuke. He didn't really want to talk about it, but if he was staying in the Leaf, he didn't want to keep secrets from the people who were precious to him.

"That's something that happened a long time ago, and it's nothing we should be interested in." said Sakura with a categorical voice. "Besides, we have to go to talk to Hinata. I still got a free house that I'm renting her really cheap." said Sakura, turning to Sasuke and smiling. Sasuke decided her attitude of not being tied to the past was admirable. Well, he could try to do that. He would still train to kill Itachi, but he wouldn't let his desire to rule over his whole life.

Naruto didn't seem satisfied with that, but he didn't complain.

Sasuke smiled. Apparently he was going to stay in the Leaf for the time being. Interesting times were ahead. Maybe, just maybe, everything would turn out right

----------

"Team 7's new mission has taken Sasuke to the north of Fire Country. I sent one shinobi to talk to him, but Sasuke attacked him and almost killed him." explained Kabuto.

"My Sasuke-kun doesn't want to come. What a pity!"

"Should we force him to come? We can use his closeness to his wife to force him to come." said Kabuto. He was having trouble concentrating. His mind wanted to return to the girl of blue eyes and silver hair he had recently met.

"No, it won't be necessary. He will come to me. I'll make sure of that." Orochimaru decided. He started to laugh.

Kabuto, even if he should already be used to it, shuddered.

------------

Sasuke awoke and sneezed. Someone was probably talking about him. He got up, went to the bathroom for a glass of water and looked into mirror. At first his own reflection was looking back at him. Then the image became someone else...

"_Why are you weak? Your hate is not enough..."_

"You are like a broken record! You have been saying that for ages!" Sasuke complained as the image of the mirror changed again

"_Uchiha Sasuke. Do you have the right to be happy?"_

"Kimimaro. Shut up! You are dead, remember?"

"_Luke, I am your father"_

"Shut up! This isn't even your show!"

"_Sasuke-kun will come to me for power..."_

"WILL ALL OF YOU EVER SHUT THE FUCK UP?" yelled an enraged Sasuke

Then he woke up.

"Stupid dream" he said. He kissed Sakura softly in the cheek and went back to sleep.

Ellis Paul---Sweet Mistakes

_Pop the cork, a champagne glass_

_Raise to the future, drink to the past_

_Thank the Lord for the friends he cast,_

_In the play he wrote for you._

_And if you love the girl man, light up a torch_

_Blaze a trail to her front porch_

_Kiss her til your lips are scorched_

_Til the rain comes down on you_

_(Chorus)_

_Bless your sweet mistakes,_

_That crumble you down to your knees._

_That brought you to this place_

_Changing you by degrees..._

_When change was just what you needed..._

_What you needed..._

_So if you live your life in a three piece suit,_

_In a cocktail dress, or combat boots_

_You pick your path and you walk your truth _

_And the world will come round to you._

_It's a long strange ride, I can't tell you why_

_But there's a place in your pocket where peace can abide_

_You pull it out, it's a compass, a guide_

_And it will put a little soul on you._

_(Chorus)_

_And in this wild blue world _

_There is a soul weavin' fine feelin' girl_

_But you've got to walk in paradise to find a pearl_

_If you only believe,_

_You'll get what you need... what you needed..._

_Conquer your fear and you'll master the game,_

_Life is always and never the same._

_Use a little faith to light the flame ,_

_And I know you'll connect to you._

_(Chorus)_

_Pop the cork, a champagne glass_

_Raise to the future, drink to the past_

_Thank the Lord for the friends he cast,_

_In the play he wrote for you_

* * *

This is the end of 21th chapter, and the end of part 1, titled Sweet Mistakes.

All the mysteries, like Orochimaru's plans, Itachi's reasons and the terrible truth behind the Original Uchiha Tragedy will be revealed soon with the beginning of part 2. In the meantime, please, write a review, even if it's just a line or two, and tell me your opinion of this chapter and your opinion of the whole part 1. Did you like it?


	22. Those wonderful days of the past

**Chapter 22: Those wonderful days of the past**.

_I still remember them. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, all training together. I still cry for those past days. I still remember the last time we took a picture together in that sad New Year celebration. That was the last time I saw the three of them together and alive._

Hatake Kakashi

* * *

"I'M A JOUNIN!" announced Naruto on top of the Fourth's head to the whole Leaf Village. 

Sasuke took another glance to the jounin vest he was wearing since half an hour ago. The jounin exams had been hard, and he had failed two times before _finally_ getting the vest. It wasn't so important. It was just a title. Why was the idiot so happy about it? Sure, it had really nice to beat Lee, but it was just business. He didn't enjoy it a bit. Not a bit.

"What's wrong Sasuke? Are you afraid of losing to me? I can yell much higher than you!"

"Naruto" asked Sasuke"Do you really expect me to start screaming just because you are defying me? Do you think I am so vain?"

"Well, it's OK. I'll just tell Sakura-chan that you lost to me"

Cheating. That was called cheating. Besides, it wasn't as if it were a big deal if Naruto told Sakura. Sure, he would be sleeping on the couch again, and she would constantly remind him of his defeat for at least one week... Naruto would be reminding him for just one month. Oh, man!

«What did I do to deserve this? » Sasuke wondered. He moved near Naruto, and looked at the village. That was stupid. Why did he have to do it?

Sasuke gathered air, and said.

"I am a jounin"

"I AM A JOUNIN!" Naruto yelled.

"I am a jounin!" repeated Sasuke, this time higher.

"I AM A JOUNIN!" Naruto yelled again.

"I AM A JOUNIN!" Sasuke finally yelled.

"I AM A JOUNIN!" yelled simultaneously Sasuke and Naruto. Afterwards, they sat down laughing.

"That was good. You are quite slow, Sasuke"

"That's my line, you idiot. I always got better grades than you at school."

"You may be smarter than me" agreed Naruto"but you don't know how to do funny things. I have to teach you. I have to be your guardian angel!"

Sasuke sighed. However he didn't move.

"We are finally jounins" commented Sasuke"It has been three years since Team 7 was created. We have come a long way".

"It sure was tough, but it was also fun".

"Now I should start the second part of the plan. I am a jounin now. I can easily join the ANBU. Afterwards, I could get access to all the classified information about Orochimaru. I'd know the truth about his Immortality jutsu. Then I'd know if it's safe to defect to the Sound".

Naruto stared at Sasuke with surprise, and slowly got up.

"You are still going on with your revenge?"

"Of course I am. This is something people tend to forget when they give me lectures, but _that man_ killed my whole family. I have to get revenge for myself and for the spirits of my family, so they can rest in peace." Sasuke sighed. "Two years ago, the day I almost went to the Sound, I told myself that going to Orochimaru was too risky. That was the reason I told myself. However I lied. I didn't go back because of that. I just wanted to be with Sakura. I don't want to leave her. I am really an undeserving son" concluded Sasuke closing his eyes.

"But, but... you are still continuing with your revenge, right?" Said Naruto. It sounded weird to Naruto to be the one consoling Sasuke, reminding him that he was still ruining his life, in his opinion, with his revenge.

"If I and Sakura were killed by Kakashi-sensei, what would you do for revenge, Naruto?" asked suddenly Sasuke. "Would you try to get revenge? Or you would forget about us? Would you go as far as me?"

"I don't know" answered truthfully Naruto, and turned to the question he really cared about "Are you going to do it? Joining the ANBU and going to Orochimaru?"

"I already told you that I'm not. If I were to do that, chances are I'd never see Sakura again. I don't want to lose her. I was at home with her. We were in silence. I was tired after training and she was reading something. Suddenly I realized something. I didn't want to lose her. I didn't want to go to Orochimaru. I wanted to risk staying in the Leaf" Sasuke sighed "I bet my parents will kick me as soon as I die."

"Does Sakura know how much you love her? Did you tell her?"

"I didn't tell her anything, but she knows. She knows."

"Why are you telling me all this?" asked Naruto.

"You are my best friend. Best friends are supposed to tell each other everything, I guess." Sasuke answered shrugging.

Naruto smiled sadly.

"You are right. Best friends are supposed to tell each other everything... but I didn't." Sasuke raised his eyes "I have to tell you something... about the Kyubi."

"Aa?" asked Sasuke. Naruto probably was going to tell him that his parents had been killed by the Kyubi. Being an orphan and being born around the time the Kyubi struck, it was obvious.

* * *

Sakura was busy sharpening some kunais when Kakashi barged in her home. 

"Sakura! There is trouble! Sasuke and Naruto have snapped" Sakura was a real shinobi. She ran and followed Kakashi in a second instead of acting surprised, even if she was.

"Kakashi, explanation!" she asked while running.

"I don't have much time to explain. Fifteen years ago the Fourth sealed the legendary Kyubi in a newborn child. That child was Naruto."

Sakura carefully analyzed the information. The tale was unbelievable, but...

"Is that the reason of his incredible chakra?" she asked.

"That's right. His chakra and the Kyubi's have partly fused. There has been a change in Naruto's metabolism that has raised his healing rate. At first it was just when his emotions heightened. Right now Naruto can use the Kyubi's chakra at will. Apparently Sasuke found out, and they are going all out against each other."

The reached soon the mountain near the Leaf Village, where two huge chakras were flaring.

Sasuke smashed his fist against Naruto's face, who fell hard against the rock.

"Was it fun? Was it fun to watch me try so hard, knowing that you could beat me with your borrowed powers any time you wanted?" yelled Sasuke.

"You think I asked for this?" yelled Naruto from the ground. He used Kage-Bushin and thousands of clones surrounded Sasuke who looked at each of them with the same hate "You have no idea! I hate this power! Everybody used to look at me with fear and hate! I suffered!" yelled Naruto while the clones attacked Sasuke.

"Big deal! I know one thousand people that wouldn't mind to have suffered one millions times what you did in exchange for your power!" yelled Sasuke who had improved in speed enough to avoid the innumerable attacks of the clones.

"You have the Sharingan!" yelled the real Naruto. That was a mistake, as Sasuke attacked and kicked him. Losing the concentration, the shadow clones disappeared.

"Don't compare the Sharingan with the Kyubi chakra! Your powers are far greater than mine. Unfathomable healing rate, incredible endurance, infinite chakra to use at will. Shit! I should have suspected years ago!"

"At least you had a family! I never knew any family! You don't know what you had"yelled Naruto. He created more and more clones. Eventually Sasuke started to tire.

"That's right! You never had a family! You don't know what it means to lose them! At least you can move forward! I can't! I have to kill my own brother! He told me to kill my best friend so I could eventually kill him! You are free, but I have a thousand shackles!" yelled Sasuke, who finally used Katon. The real Naruto didn't even need to avoid the fire. The Kyubi chakra protected him.

Sakura was silently watching the fight with a light smile. Kakashi was looking alternatively at her and to the fight.

"Aren't you going to stop them?" asked Kakashi.

"No. They had some hidden issues that they needed to talk. Both of them are so afraid of loneliness that they didn't dare to lose the bond they had. I think it will be good for them this fight."

Kakashi looked again at the fight. Naruto was currently using his chakra to physically pound on Sasuke that couldn't defend himself from the chakra and fight the hundreds of clones still left at the same time.

"They are going to kill each other at this rate. They are at jounin level."

"Please, trust me, sensei."

Sasuke was finally overwhelmed by a new batch of thousands of clones. Clone after clone they jumped over him till Kakashi was not able to distinguish Sasuke among the mountain of Narutos. Then an inferno erupted and covered the battlefield. When it disappeared only Naruto, with his chakra shield stood. Sasuke had disappeared. One second later Sasuke emerged from underground, hitting Naruto with a fist full of chakra. Thanks to the surprise and to the great energy in that strike, he almost managed to get through.

Having an "almost" usually means the same as having a "nothing". Only Sasuke's unnatural speed allowed him to escape Naruto's violent counterattack. After a brief pause, both Sasuke and Naruto started to concentrate their chakras, Sasuke for the chidori, Naruto for the Rasengan.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU FUCKERS!" yelled Sakura.

Sasuke and Naruto immediately stopped the fight. Their chakras disappeared as they looked at her like two children who had been fighting and had gotten caught by their mother.

Sakura walked calmly to them. First she walked to Sasuke and slapped him.

"Do you want to kill your best friend?" she angrily asked. Then she angrily walked to Naruto. The Kyubi's chakra had protected Naruto against Sasuke's strongest attacks. Nothing protected him against Sakura's punch.

"Do you want to kill your best friend?" she angrily asked.

"Why did you punch me when you just slapped Sasuke?" asked Naruto covering his bloody nose.

"It's because I love both of you, but I love Sasuke more." said Sakura with a grin.

"Not fair" pouted Naruto. Sakura smiled and helped him to stand up. Then she held his hand and walked with him to Sasuke.

"You are best friends. Shake hands" ordered Sakura.

"I didn't know "best friend" meant "somebody I like to pound on"" answered Sasuke. Sakura glared at him – Whatever, I'll do it" Sasuke finally said. Marriage had taught him how to adapt and survive.

"I don't wanna... OK" said Naruto concluded Naruto after receiving another death glare from Sakura. Sasuke considered that maybe Naruto still didn't notice that Hinata liked him, but at least Naruto wasn't completely oblivious when a mortal danger was involved.

"Now hug. Now!" repeated Sakura.

Both Sasuke and Naruto waited till the other made the first move. After some awkward moments, Sakura coughed. Naruto and Sasuke finally decided to move their hands. They shook hands and then they started what it looked like a formal hug. The only odd thing out was when they didn't move apart.

"Sorry. I guess it's not too easy to have a demon inside" said Sasuke.

"Well, it doesn't really bother me anymore. You have a harder time. You have to kill your own brother" said Naruto.

They smiled. Sakura smiled beside them.

"Seriously, if you don't hit each other, you wouldn't even know how to say "hi" " she said.

Kakashi looked at them. He wasn't smiling. He was wondering how long could the happiness last. There were things that they didn't know that could shatter the happy image in a thousand pieces never to be fixed again. The worst part is that time was running against them.

* * *

New Year's Celebration was one of the most important events in the Leaf Village. Naruto was wearing his normal clothes. He had laughed a lot when he saw Sasuke's stylish kimono. True, Sasuke was wearing a kimono hand-made by Sakura, who was wearing a striking yukata. She was really beautiful, in Sasuke's opinion, not that he could ever say that. 

"Sakura, you are really cute. Be careful Sasuke, or I may steal her from you" said Kakashi who didn't have any problem expressing his thoughts.

«Pervert» was the mental comment that came from Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura at the same time.

"Sensei... " started Sasuke with a dangerous voice.

Ohhh. Take it easy Sasuke." said Kakashi "You are always too serious. Here, let me take a picture.

Sasuke was still feeling irritated, but he couldn't keep an angry face with Sakura and Naruto around. The three of them posed for the picture. After taking it, Kakashi took a long look to the picture: Sasuke was smiling confidently. He smiled now far more often than before. Sakura was smiling and looking straight at the picture. Kakashi looked a long time at her green eyes. Naruto was the one smiling more widely. His whole existence was a sin, according to many, but he wasn't the type to give up.

"Kakashi! How are you doing!" yelled somebody _far_ too high "Let me see " and before Kakashi could complain about the right to privacy Gai had snatched the picture away from Kakashi's hands. " THIS IS A GREAT PICTURE! Kakashi, I'll take a better picture of my students or I'll have to take a picture of every single person in the whole Leaf!"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. Behind him, Sasuke smiled cruelly.

After a few minutes, Kakashi left followed by Gai. Naruto went to the party first, while Sasuke and Sakura remained behind.

"Sakura, I still think this is not a good idea" said Sasuke. What he really wanted to say was that this was not of his business. It wasn't a good idea to say that, considering that Sakura was still set on saving the world, starting with the people close to her.

"Don't try to run away, Sasuke. We are doing this for their own good. The dance is going to start soon, we have to move." said Sakura. Sasuke decided he had married a devil.

* * *

The party had started hours ago. The dance had just started. The first song was a happy, fast-moving one, and the couples were dancing while Naruto was very busy eating all the snacks he could with two hands and a really big mouth. Then he felt somebody getting closer. 

"Hi, N-Naruto-kun" said a voice.

Naruto turned around to see Hinata wearing a demure yukata.

"Hey, Hinata-chan! How are you?"

"I'm f-fine a-and y-you?" she said. Naruto didn't understand why Sasuke and Sakura said that Hinata didn't stutter anymore. Every time they spoke she stuttered.

"I'm doing great. I'm a jounin now! Isn't it great!"

"N-Naruto-kun!" yelled Hinata closing her eyes and blushing "I love you!"

Naruto looked at the timid Hinata, and for a moment the person that always had something to say couldn't say a thing.

"I'm sorry" she said, and ran to the crowd. Naruto, that didn't understand a thing, listened to his instincts and followed her.

* * *

"Hi Hinata-chan" said a happy voice. 

Hinata turned and blushed when she saw Naruto. She immediately felt ashamed of her own shyness. She had promised herself over and over that she wouldn't blush every time she saw him, but she just couldn't avoid it. At least she had improved. She didn't run away anymore as soon as he was near her. She had been living near Sasuke and Sakura for almost two years, since she had run away from the Hyuga clan and Naruto was the only person that still made her stutter.

"H-How a-are you d-doing?" Great, just great. First thing she said to him in the whole week and it had to be a stutter.

"Say, do you want to dance?" he asked.

Her first reaction was to stare at him. Her second and third reactions were exactly the same. Was Naruto really asking her to dance? No, it had to be a dream.

Finally, Naruto held her hand and gently pulled her toward the crowd. Just then he dropped her hand and for a few moments she didn't see him.

Just when she was starting to panic she saw him again. He looked at her with a confused face. She smiled. He probably had been scared when they lost sight of each other. She smiled sweetly. He was blushing.

At that exact moment the music changed to a slow song as if following an order. Some people left the stage but most couples started dancing close to each other. Hinata and Naruto grinned embarrassed. Finally they held each other and started to dance in an awkward way.

"Naruto" was evilly grinning while watching the two of them from behind a building.

"Total success. They changed the music in the right moment." said Sakura, transforming back from the fake Naruto form.

"I hate my life" said the fake Hinata covering her face with her hands. One second later Henge no Jutsu dissolved and only Sasuke was left "My first kiss was stolen by Naruto. _Now_ my first love declaration was to Naruto. I want to kill myself."

"Ah, shut up! It's your fault for never saying formally how much you love me. We are doing this for their own good. Hinata is in love with Naruto and Naruto is in love with Hinata, he just doesn't know it. To be together is their destiny. Besides, I said that I could transform into Hinata and you said I should transform into Naruto and you into Hinata."

"I didn't want you to say "I love you" to Naruto, even transformed into Hinata" he murmured. He decided that he didn't want to end up as Sakura's enemy. She had decided that Naruto and Hinata _had_ to be together. Since Hinata was too shy and Naruto was too oblivious, she had hatched the plan which involved him, of course "Have you thought on locking the two of them together in a room?" he added ironically.

"That's an alternative plan if this one doesn't work" she answered. For a second, Sasuke thought she was kidding. When he understood she wasn't, he shivered.

"What are they doing now?" Finally asked Sasuke.

"Naruto has taken Hinata away from the dance. They are speaking now. Damn! They are too far. I wish I knew what they were saying."

Sasuke peeked from behind the building. They were too far, but he could still see Naruto's face. Sasuke activated the sharingan and he was able to read his lips even at that distance. He could only see Hinata's back and he couldn't read her lips, though.

Naruto: «... as a friend. I have someone I already like. I am sorry» Sasuke understood that Sakura's entire plan had gone wrong.

Hinata: «...» Sasuke wished he could read her lips.

Naruto: «Yes, it is Sakura, I still love her» And that moment Sasuke decided that he didn't want to keep reading his lips. Still, he couldn't move his eyes away.

Hinata: «...»

Naruto: «I know, and Sasuke is my best friend. That's the reason I am happy. If she were married to somebody else I'd be sad. Since she is married to him, I'm happy. » Sasuke was feeling like a real asshole because he was reading something he shouldn't be reading.

Hinata: «...»

Naruto: «Yes, sometimes it still hurts»

Hinata: «...»

Naruto: «Thanks. Do you want to dance? » What? That idiot!

Hinata: «...»

Sasuke deactivated the Sharingan while Hinata left the party.

"Damn! Hinata is leaving! I swear I'm going to..." said Sakura.

"Sakura, I'll go talk to Naruto. I'll leave Hinata to you" interrupted Sasuke. "I think we may have hurt them."

Sakura stared at Sasuke for a few seconds and then she nodded.

Sasuke walked straight to Naruto. He didn't know what to say to him. He probably should apologize for reading his lips.

"Hey" said Naruto. He looked a little sad.

"I am sorry, I listened to your conversation with Hinata" said Sasuke who then punched Naruto _very_ hard. Naruto fell to the ground. "Are you a fucking idiot? If you love Sakura why didn't you make her fall in love with you? That's what I would have done if I were in your place. Shit! I am a liar. I manipulate people. I have to smoke to feel remorse for killing a person. My greatest wish is to kill my own brother. Why did she have to fall in love with me! You are a better person than me! Sakura would be happier with you! Shit! Why didn't I notice you still loved her? I am supposed to notice everything. I am supposed to be a shinobi. Shit!"

"You bastard!" said Naruto from the ground "Sakura would not be happy with me. You are the one she loves."

"I am with the woman you love. Don't act as if it doesn't hurt! Why don't you hate me?"

"It hurts. Sometimes it hurts. But there is something I didn't tell you last week when we had that fight!" said Naruto.

"Now what _else_ did you forget to tell me? That you are the Fourth's secret son?" asked sarcastically Sasuke.

"I didn't tell you that when I am with you, it feels like being with a brother."

Sasuke and Naruto stared at each other. Finally Sasuke smiled and helped Naruto to stand up.

"Fucking idiot!" Sasuke said smiling slowly "When you reject a girl's feelings, you can't ask her right away to dance."

"Well, excuuuuuuse me for not having experience rejecting girls, you insensitive bastard. I don't want somebody that has never said Sakura a simple "I love you" to lecture me" Naruto answered in the same tone.

"Naruto... " started Sasuke smiling.

"Hey guys, I'm glad I found you here" said a voice. Sasuke was really glad Kakashi-sensei had interrupted him. He was probably going to say something corny, like he was glad Naruto was his best friend, that he would be willing to die for Naruto, or something clichéd like that." There in a sudden A-mission that I need you to take".

"An A-mission? Cool?" yelled Naruto.

"There is an order of warrior-monks that has requested your assistance. Here is the place" said Kakashi giving Sasuke a map. "More details will be explained when you arrive. Sasuke-kun, this will be your first mission as commander of Team 7. I can't go with you because I have another mission."

"I thought I wasn't allowed to leave the Leaf Village" said Naruto.

"Don't worry Naruto-kun. You have an especial permission just for this mission."

"I'll get ready" said Naruto running to his house. Kakashi also started to leave.

"It's the first time you have called me "Sasuke-kun" in a long time, sensei." said Sasuke, suspicious as always.

Kakashi glanced at Sasuke, and sighed.

"Sasuke, we are in the middle of the Leaf Village. You should relax sometime. Even if you are a shinobi, you are human too."

Sasuke sighed. He hated when Kakashi-sensei was always right. He ran to warn Sakura. He found her at their home. She had already changed into the combat gear.

"Kakashi-sensei already told me." she said, and then she added. "I'm going to kill Naruto. He made Hinata cry. Damn! And it's Hinata's fault too! She should have told Naruto that she was in love with him."

"Sakura" said Sasuke "That was _very_ obvious."

"It wasn't that obvious!" said Sakura selecting some weapons to take "It's always easier to just say it aloud than to send the signals."

«To send the signals. Is she speaking about me?» wondered Sasuke. Well, he really loved her. He just didn't understand why he needed to say it aloud. It was obvious... As obvious as Hinata liking Naruto. Damn! Well, it was just a sentence. Besides, if she were to be happy, he would say it.

"Aa" Sasuke agreed and then he said "Sakura I..." The words didn't go out. Why the hell was he blushing? Seriously! They were married! They had made love already! They were already past the stage of being shy.

"Yes?" said Sakura.

"I..." Damn! Damn! Damn! It was just a sentence. They had kissed a hundred times already! Damn it! He was an Avenger. He wasn't afraid of anything. How could Sakura say it so easily?

"Yeah... What? What did you say?" said Sakura.

"_I love you_! I love you. Sakura, I love you. I love you" and then he finally added "and I love you.

Sakura blushed, and after a few seconds, they embraced each other, they closed their eyes and they were going to kiss.

"I AM READY! LET'S GO!" yelled Naruto barging inside the house and thoroughly ruining the mood.

"YOU IDIOT!" yelled Sakura blushing.

"What? What did I do?" asked Naruto.

Sasuke laughed. He was still smiling widely when they reached the entrance of the Leaf Village. For a moment he was alarmed that nobody was there, but then he thought that probably everybody was in the party. Seriously, he had to get rid of his paranoia.

* * *

Kakashi saw them leaving the Leaf Village. He was widely smiling. 

"Kukukuku! Good luck Sasuke-kun."

"K-Kakashi! I found you!" yelled Gai. Anybody closer than one hundred meters could smell that he was drunk. "I w-want to challenge you to go one t-t-t-_thousand_ times around the v-village."

Kakashi looked to Gai, and then looked around him. No one was around.

"Gai-kun" answered "Kakashi" "I hate to be the one that break this news to you, but... you are a freak."

Before Gai could move, he felt a kunai entering his chest. Gai looked with a stupid expression at the wound and to the blood that was falling. Then he collapsed.

"What... Why did... you are not... Oro..." uttered Gai to the changing form in front of him, before the blood in the throat stopped his words. «Lee... I would have loved to train you a little more» were his last thoughts, before he couldn't say anything else.

* * *

"Lee, let's go. The dance has already started" warned Tenten wearing a Chinese-style dress. 

Lee was not answering. He was violently trembling.

"Lee! What's wrong!" Tenten yelled

"I... I don't know. I was... I was thinking about Gai-sensei, and... I don't know." Lee started to cry "I don't... just started to... to... _AAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGG!_ " Lee fell down and started to scream. Tenten rushed to Lee and hugged him asking questions that Lee couldn't answer.

* * *

"This party was fun! Don't you think!" asked Naruto. 

Sakura who was still angry with Naruto, perforated him with an angry look. Sasuke managed a smile. His life wasn't always fun, but it was always interesting.

"Let's do a good job with the mission!" he said.

* * *

Well, this is the beginning of part 2. I am not going to tell you the name of part 2, since it would be a spoiler. I'll tell you at the end of part 2.

I hope you like this story. First the sentence was melancholic, but then the chapter was encouraging and sometimes outright silly and good-humored. It was most character development. Then, "Kakashi's" appearance, and Gai death... I hope you like my story, because it's going fast into the road of being a tragedy. And still I haven't completely decided on the ending (sigh)

Anyway, please, all those that have never send a review to this story, drop a line or two and tell me what you like. Reviews really encourage me to keep writing on this story, and I think that this story is going pretty good. What do you think?


	23. Family Reunion

**Chapter 23: Family reunion.**

_I wish I had a family. Just once, I would have liked to meet my blood family_

_Uzumaki Naruto_

* * *

Minami had been adopted by the monks when she was a baby. Her parents had left her in a cradle in front of the shrine. The monks were very kind to her, and she never missed her real family. Her true parents were the monks, her sisters and brothers were the other orphans that other poor families left there. The monks were an order of fighting monks that had developed a philosophy of relaxing while fighting.

She had an amazing talent in fighting, and perfect eye-hand coordination. Everybody had said she had a bright future. She considered herself very brave. She was trembling now like never before.

She was watching a Demon. The monks, her family, were being slaughtered in front of her eyes: Steel breaking bones, lives being taken by the monster, blood flying and scattering on the floor. The incarnation of Death had come to destroy her life. No one could stand against it. Fighting it was as futile as battling Death itself.

All the monks reveled in training the mind and the body. She had adored watching the monks training. Some of them could move so fast she could hardly follow their movements. All of them were now dead.

The incarnation of Death looked at her with eyes as red as the blood that flowed from the bodies of his dead family. She tried to fight. The demon punched her too fast for her eyes to follow. It tossed her like a rag doll. She slammed into the wall, her small body embedded into the unrelenting wood. She felt blood spilling through her hair as her ribs cracked.

When the slayer who ruined her whole world spoke, she listened. After the demon spoke, its red eyes changed, and she had to see the horrors over and over and over and over.

* * *

"Naruto, could you please hide your chakra better? We are supposed to be in an undeclared war against the Sound" asked Sasuke. "Sakura hides it far better than you, and she is only a chuunin."

"Why? Thank you very much, _dear_" said Sakura "You know how much I love being reminded that I am a chuunin when you two are jounins."

"Don't worry Sakura. By the time I become the Hokage you will be a jounin."

"Yeah, right! As if an idiot like you could become the Hokage."

"Shut up, you idiot!" yelled Naruto.

It was simply their routine, so to speak. Naruto would boast, Sasuke would insult him, Naruto would bellow indignantly. It was a habit everybody felt highly comfortable with.

"I don't think the Sound has any soldiers to spare anyway. Since the Sand made peace with the Leaf, the Sound has fought alone. So far we have lost around fifty six people in skirmishes in the frontier, but the Sound is expected to have at least five times our losses. Their shinobis really SUCK!"

"If I had gone to the Sound three years ago Orochimaru would act more carefully to protect his replacement body" commented Sasuke. "Since I refused, he is acting more rashly."

Only silence answered him. It had taken everybody a long time to get used to Sasuke's almost betrayal. Neither Sakura nor Naruto liked to be reminded of it.

"We know very little about this order of monks. Everything was too rushed." complained Sasuke, changing topics.

"I did some research after Kakashi-sensei came to me. That order of monks have quite a reputation as fighters. They could even hold their ground against shinobis. Just in taijutsu, I'd say they are around chuunin or some of them even jounin level. They have also an important library about demon fighting. Their founder was a professional demon-hunter." explained Sakura.

"That's a lot of information, considering the short time-frame. You are very good at information gathering" praised Sasuke.

Sakura blushed. No matter the place or situation, a word of Sasuke was enough to crumble all her defenses away.

"By the way, don't you think Kakashi-sensei looked a little weird?" asked Sakura.

"Weird? Why?" asked Naruto.

"I don't know. He didn't look sad at all. Every time I look at him he gives me the impression of being sad."

Kakashi sad? Sasuke had never thought about him as sad. Well, he had never thought about him as sad or happy. He always looked above all those earthly feelings.

"I know! Kakashi-sensei finally got a girlfriend!" yelled Naruto

"Uh, uh. I can't imagine Kakashi-sensei with a girlfriend. She would force him to show his face." said Sakura.

"I have a great idea! Since we are jounins now, next time we meet him we will take him down, and we will take off his mask!" shouted Naruto.

Sasuke smiled. It was a good idea. It would be interesting to think about different plans to take off Kakashi's mask. It was better than brooding on his ominous feeling he was having since the whole mission started, anyway.

* * *

There were some rules about shinobi teams, Sasuke considered. First at all, commander orders were absolute. It was not a democracy, it was a dictatorship. So, if they were just two hours away from the shrine, and he, as team commander, decided that they should hurry up, that clearly meant they should hurry up. So, if both Sakura and Naruto wanted to eat some sweets there was no way they could "outvote" him. Considering that, how come he was begrudgingly eating sweets with the two rebels that didn't listen to him? That was rebellion in time of war! Dammit!

"Sasuke, don't tell me you are still angry?" said Naruto.

"Aa" Sasuke answered, not even bothering to answer Naruto.

"Sasuke, haven't you heard about "kiss and forget"?" Sakura said.

"Aa. But I'm not going to kiss Naruto" warned Sasuke.

"Well then..." she said, leaning down on him.

Even as she leaned, Sasuke knew she was bribing him. His authority as team commander wasn't worth anything if he let Sakura seduce him with her vile arts... Frankly, he concluded as their lips met, he didn't give a damn about the authority.

"I always let you two..." he started, and then he froze. He had felt something... a stirring he hadn't felt in some time.

"Sasuke...!" yelled Sakura.

Sasuke wasn't even thinking about his acts. He was running to the exit of the shop as if his life depended on it. In many ways it was. As soon as he was out, he looked around, without knowing exactly what he was looking for.

He gathered the chakra in his feet and jumped to the roof with a snarl. He scanned each and every person that walked in the street. Exactly ninety-three people were in the street in that very moment as far as his eyes could see; half of them looking at the person that had suddenly jumped eight meters like if it were nothing. None of them were _that man_.

Sasuke sighed while he jumped down. It was confirmed, Uchiha Sasuke was indeed and idiot, possibly an even bigger idiot than Naruto and that was something to be depressed about. One hour from that moment everybody in the whole city knew that a shinobi had passed through the city. Maybe the monks didn't want anybody to know they had requested assistance. He had just compromised an A-level mission. Why? Just because he had felt... something? Fucking idiot!

Sakura and Naruto were around him on a second, carefully checking his surroundings first, he noted with satisfaction.

"What happened?" yelled Naruto.

"Nothing. My mistake" Sasuke said. People around him were staring at them. You couldn't do superhuman acts outside the Hidden Villages without being stared on and almost always feared." Let's get out of here.

During the two-hour trip, Sasuke was silent. He was still angry with himself. Sakura was silent too. She knew that Sasuke's sudden desire to kill had something to do with his brother and that was a subject Sasuke didn't want to talk about

"I want to know why you jumped! Did you see any enemy? Was it Orochimaru? Tell me! Damn it, Sasuke, tell me! I wanna know!" yelled Naruto. The good thing about Naruto, Sakura considered, was that he always had good intentions. The bad thing was that he lacked, among other things, any tact.

"Are we there yet?" asked Naruto.

"No." said Sakura.

"Are we there yet?" asked Naruto one minute later.

"No we are _not_." shouted Sakura

"Are we..."

"Defense formation." interrupted Sasuke. His voice was hard and thick. "Sakura, you are in the back as support. Naruto, you are in the middle. I'll be ahead."

Both Naruto and Sakura had enough experience to not waste time when a team commander spoke with that voice. Far to the distance they could see the shrine

After a few seconds, Naruto, obviously, was the first to break the silence.

"What's wrong?"

"The wind, the wind has a scent I'm familiar with." Sasuke said, breathing carefully and closing his eyes "It's the scent of blood, of bodies decaying. It's the scent of death." Sasuke opened his eyes violently. "Naruto, Shadow clones. Send five hundred shadow clones ahead. If you encounter any resistance, we are backing away.

"What about the mission?" Sakura asked after Naruto sent the clones.

"Mission is aborted. Don't you understand? There has been a battle. I can see broken windows from here. Since the wind has the smell of bodies rotting, I am guessing the defendants lost. I doubt there are any survivors."

There was a pause while Naruto's clones looked in the shrine. The clones relied real-time information directly to the original. Sasuke had enough chakra to use about five clones, and sometimes the amount of information he received overwhelmed him. He didn't want to be on Naruto's shoes.

"There is one girl alive." said Naruto after a few minutes. He was shaking. "Everybody else is..."

Sasuke nodded and started walking toward the shrine.

"Is she hurt?" asked Sakura.

"She is bleeding, but she is alive, but she is not moving. I don't know what's..." said Naruto. Sasuke noticed that Naruto was starting to panic. He had seen dead people before. The fact that Naruto was panicking was definitely not a good sign. They had to be careful. However running away was not possible. They had to gather information for the Leaf Village.

"Sakura, you will go to the girl and interrogate her. Naruto, use your clones to establish a perimeter around the shrine. I'll go check the bodies." ordered Sasuke who froze when he saw the carnage.

_All resistance had been destroyed. That hadn't been a battle. That had been a massacre. The red moon looked silently at the young orphan that ran through the Uchiha district looking for survivors. There were none. All those lives, all those life stories, gone, like tears in the rain._

After managing not to lose his lunch, Sasuke started to examine the bodies. He understood soon that it hadn't been a hot-headed outburst. It was done by a pro, probably a shinobi as there were shurikens and kunais embedded in many of the bodies. The most disturbing fact was that according to the disposition of the bodies, the attacker was only one. Only one enemy had overwhelmed the whole order of monks. Now, if only his right hand stopped trembling...

"Sasuke?" asked Naruto. Sasuke was lighting a cigarette.

"There was only one attacker. The guy used the front entrance, killing everybody in sight three or four hours ago. The monks tried to fight, but they couldn't do anything against that man." «Why does it have to be a man? It doesn't have to be _that man_». He mentally considered. –The attacker was not only over-confident; he was also too controlled, too cold. The cuts and slashes are surgically smooth. Every fucking one of them," «Relax, relax, relax» "stroke in a critical point. I can do that with logs. I may be able to do it with one enemy. I can't do that in the middle of combat against so many enemies. The enemy is insanely talented and strong. All this blood and not a single footprint!" Even if he faked a calm countenance, Sasuke had to admit to himself that he was nervous when he remembered that he had been holding the breath.

In the back entrance of the Shrine they found bodies that were totally cut. Most of the bodies there were children

"I made a mistake. There were two attackers. One of them attacked in the front and destroyed all opposition. A group of monks took the younger kids and tried to escape, but were attacked by a second enemy who had a huge sword." said Sasuke.

_Sasuke used the chidori against the killer of his family. _That man_ with insulting ease broke his wrist and used the __Mangekyou Sharingan on him. He barely had time to glance at the partner of _that man_He had the appearance of a shark, and he was holding a extremely huge sword._

"He liked his work." said Naruto with another shiver. "He really liked his work. Why did he have to kill the children?

Sasuke didn't stop to listen to him, as he walked quickly to Sakura and the survivor. He noticed with annoyance that Naruto had adopted the male chauvinist supposition that the mass murdered was a male. It was true that according to statistics, men were more likely to be mass murderers than women. It didn't have to be a man, however. It didn't have to be _that man_.

Sakura was tending the girl who was still unconscious and looked to be around ten years old.

"Sasuke, she is in a coma. She seems to under some genjutsu..."

Sasuke didn't bother to answer Sakura. He was too busy dispelling the genjutsu to the girl.

"I learnt how to dispel this type of strong genjutsus." Sasuke explained smiling. However his smile wasn't the one he had developed over the last three years. It was different, crueler, move evil.

The girl started to come around. Sakura got closer to her while Sasuke lighted another cigarette.

"Who... who are you?"

"Don't worry" said Sakura in a soothing voice "We are Leaf Shinobis. Did you see who did this?"

"Y... Yes. H-He told me... his name... and... that..." Her voice was changing. It was getting more high-pitched. Her eyes were gleaming with hate "He said I wasn't even worth killing. He said if I wanted to kill him..."

"If you wanted to kill him, you had to curse him, hate him, and live a long, unsightly life, clinging to your pitiful life." said Sasuke that was staring at her. He sighed, and got closer to the girl who tried to back away.

He kneeled down and smiled. It was probably the kindest smile that had ever appeared on Sasuke's face

"Forget about him. We met the two killers and we already killed them. Don't let your life be tied to them."

"Are they dead?" She asked. The gleaming on her eyes disappeared in an instant. Her smile was hopeful. Sasuke nodded with a tender smile. "I'm glad" she said with a sigh.

"Don't let the bastard control your life. Start over." Sasuke said, and then he pressed some pressure points on her back. She started to fall. "Rest now, little girl."

The girl fell unconscious. Sasuke stood up.

"I wish someone had done that to me" he said "Then I..." he turned around. Both Naruto and Sakura took a step backward. His eyes had the same gleam of hate. A savage smirk on his face" would not feel this happiness now."

"Sasuke... " Sakura whispered.

Sasuke left the temple and took a long look around.

"Itachi!" He said. Sakura shivered. The three-syllable name held too many meanings to her: Death. Pain. Destruction. Revenge... Running away.

"Sasuke!" repeated Sakura.

Sasuke turned around and walked to her. She stood her ground. He smiled widely.

"Sakura, I love you. I really love you. I am glad I was born, because I was able to meet you."

"You... you never tell me those kind of things. You are not the type to say them. WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT TO ME NOW?"

Sasuke made his move: A well directed punch at her solar plexus, one of the most vulnerable points in the upper abdomen. When she was staggering, he attacked again. Pressure points pressed in her back, Sakura fell unconscious onto his arms.

"My time with you was short, but in my bloody life, it was the most beautiful. I love you Sakura. Please, be happy." He said, trying to engrave her features one last time into his brain.

"What the fuck are you doing!" yelled Naruto.

"I am going to meet my brother" said Sasuke. "I don't know if I'll be back. Naruto, please, take care of her if I don't go back. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid like becoming an Avenger like me. The most important thing in life is happiness. Nothing can undo what has been done."

Sasuke started to walk, but the shadow clones that had established a perimeter of security around the village closed on him.

"I am not going to let you go!" Naruto yelled.

"I am faster than you and my taijutsu is far better than yours. I'd be able to escape."

"Then I will chase you."

"And you would leave Sakura alone?" asked Sasuke. "Unconscious on compromised territory? We are only supposing that there are two of them. There could be more."

Naruto looked confused and Sasuke, and then at the unconscious body of Sakura.

"I will take her with me as I chase you" he said with an unsure voice.

"Taking her into a battle against two recognized mass murderers!" Sasuke said with a sarcastic tone. He sighed as Naruto looked around with a confused look "Above all our differences we have always agreed on one thing even since Team 7 was created. We always put Sakura as more important than our own lives."

The clones used Sasuke's distraction to move all at the same time, surrounding and jumping over Sasuke. The other shinobi was waiting for it. He moved forward, pushing Naruto violently against the wall. The lost of concentration made the shadow clones disappear. Naruto was going to retaliate, when Sasuke laced his pinky finger with Naruto's

"Friends forever, ok?"

Naruto stared at their pinky fingers laced, and then he nodded.

"Friends forever." he agreed. He was crying.

Sasuke then bolted away before Naruto could react. Naruto took some steps toward him, then at the unconscious body of Sakura, and then looked back at his pink finger. Uchiha Sasuke would never, ever, do something like that.

He was not even considering the possibility of surviving.

"Shit!"

Sasuke ran. He knew that he had felt Itachi in the city. He was two-hours ahead of him. They were probably moving quickly but not running since they wouldn't want to attract attention. Drawing a straight line from the shrine to the city, he would only have to follow it and the chances of finding them would be medium-high.

He reached the city. He kept on running passing it, hoping his hunch was right. Eventually he reached a crossroad. It was useless asking people or looking for traces, so he chose a random path. Actually, it wasn't random. He would have bet his life on that moment that Itachi had gone to that direction, the same impression he had on the other two crossroads he found.

He could feel Itachi getting closer. It was like the ethereal link that bonded the two brothers.

He had left Sakura and Naruto, being realistic, forever. He hadn't wanted them to wedge their ways into his life, but they had, especially Sakura. She had wedged herself all the way into his heart. She loved the two of them.

He wasn't going to meet them again. He was going to die.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigake Kisame were walking fast after accomplishing the mission for Akatsuki. The scrolls they needed had been found. The rest had been burnt.

Itachi paused walking and stood still. Kisame turned around.

"What's up?"

Itachi stood still. After a few minutes he felt another chakra coming.

"Hi brother." said the newcomer. Kisame recognised him. It was the brother of Itachi. Sasu something.

"How did you see through our disguises?" asked Kisame, dispelling the Henge no jutsu, that had transformed him into an apparently harmless girl.

Sasuke was staring at Itachi that had too dispelled the genjutsu. Only after a few seconds he deigned to answer Kisame.

"After I found the massacre I ran straight to the direction to the city, and then farther. I used my instincts to get here. I stored the faces and countenances of all the ninety-three people I saw in the rooftop. You got careless. You were so confident that you didn't even bother of changing the disguise." Sasuke quickly returned his attention to his brother.

"How did you know we were going to attack that particular shrine?" asked Kisame, slightly angered by the brat's attitude. He was an S-book criminal. He was one of the strongest shinobis in the world.

The brat was staring at Itachi, and Itachi was staring at the brat. Kisame was feeling quite stupid. Only after he repeated the sentence in an angry tone he got an answer.

"Suspicious coincidence. I'd personally think that destiny finally wants to see this fight." Sasuke turned back to Itachi. "There is something that has been bothering me for a while." His voice was conversational, and his stance relaxed. "When I was little, I was afraid of the dark. You used to talk to me till I got to sleep. I don't think I ever thanked you."

"Aa" said Itachi. It was the first sentence he had said in the presence of his brother.

"So, thank you brother." Sasuke breathed slowly and opened his mouth to say something else

"Itachi, I am tired of this crap. Can I kill him?" yelled Kisame.

"You can do whatever you want" answered calmly Itachi, after raising at eyebrow at Kisame, like if he had forgotten that Kisame was still there, which angered Kisame even more.

Kisame smiled and looked at the brat that he was going to kill... and then he remembered for the first time in years the meaning of fear. The amount of hate... the desire to kill that the brat was directing Itachi for a second was diverted at him. He felt like a bird caught by a hungry snake. He opened his mouth to brag... but he just couldn't move.

Sasuke returned his attention to Itachi. Kisame finally remembered that he had been holding his breath. That was the first time a person's intensity had paralyzed him. He had killed countless people. What the fuck was going on there?

"Now, let's fight brother. Let's fight and suffer and kill and hurt and mangle and smash and rip each other apart"

"I guess the clash this time is inevitable" said Itachi with an inscrutable voice. Then he activated the Sharingan "Let's do it."

* * *

Ladies and gentlement, here is the next installment of the story. I hope you like it. Please, write a review telling me if you like or dislike the way the story is going. I love feedback. Did you like this chapter? 


	24. Losing the battle

**Chapter 24: Losing the battle**

_No matter how strong the spirit is. The body is feeble. That's the reason why I'm developing a jutsu that will let me to exchange bodies. So it won't matter if the body is injured or destroyed, I'll always have more bodies in the reserve_

_What will happen to the original owners of the body? Isn't Nature the one that shows a great truth: The Strong survive. The Weak disappear_

Orochimaru

* * *

Sakura opened her eyes. Naruto face's was centimeters from hers.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! Sasuke is..."

Sakura violently stood up.

"Is he gone? How long ago?" yelled Sakura holding Naruto violently.

"... One hour ago." answered Naruto, surprised by Sakura's outburst.

"Then we have no time to waste. We are the only ones that can save Sasuke." She said and paused for a second to think "If he felt Itachi in the city, we can go there. There should be many witnesses that saw a person moving too fast for a normal human being. We have to hurry.

"Don't worry. Sasuke is too stubborn to die." Naruto said, even if he didn't really believe it.

"Uchiha Itachi killed the whole Uchiha clan, the elite of the Leaf Village, eight years ago. How strong do you think he probably is now?

Naruto didn't answer.

* * *

Sasuke ran at full speed, got behind Itachi in a flash, and tried to stab him from behind. Itachi without even glancing back blocked Sasuke's kunai with his own. Metal clashing against metal Sasuke still moved forward holding another kunai, getting ready to stab Itachi in the heart.

Itachi's punch slipped through Sasuke's guard as if it were not there. He was thrown backwards twenty meters and barely managed to protect himself from the fall, jumping backwards three times to contain the impact.

Sasuke panted. It was impossible. Taijutsu was useless against the Uchiha genius. Not with his own weak level. Using ninjutsu was also useless, as his brother had taken the Sharingan a step farther. Instead of merely copying the techniques, he was able to copy them instantly and then releasing an even stronger copy than the original. Using genjutsu against Itachi's Sharingan sounded like a bad joke. He couldn't even look at Itachi in the eyes, lest he risk the chance of suffering Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Damn you!" Sasuke started to run around Itachi at superior speed, one that had gotten after endless training. He started to read Itachi's movements and throw precise shurikens at his blind sides.

Useless.

Itachi wasn't even breaking a sweat as he effortlessly blocked every single shuriken, spinning around himself. He didn't appear concerned by Sasuke's efforts at killing him.

Sasuke snarled. Still running around, he used Kagen Bunshin. Five Sasukes ran at full speed to Itachi using the chidori. Itachi didn't even use a weapon. He didn't need one. He too easily kicked and punched the five clones away.

The four clones banished. The real one fell against the tree. He staggered and then he managed to stand, spilling blood. «Two, no, three ribs broken. The smallest movement hurts like hell. Bastard. »

"Tired already? I should have known. You are weak. And the reason you are weak is that you keep on running away. Your hate is not enough-

"Running away?" asked Sasuke. He had to be careful, he needed an effective strategy. "I have been chasing you since that night. I have never run away from you. I hate you with all my soul!"

"Have you killed your best friend yet? You haven't, since you keep avoiding my eyes. Why do you have a ring in your finger? The ring our father used to wear? I guess there is a woman out there that has our mother's ring. As I said, you are running away from your destiny."

«Yes, that was the Uchiha Itachi I remember. One that can read all, plan every single movement of the fight from beginning to the end, one that is a superior shinobi, one that dad and mum were proud of. »

"Caring for someone… taking revenge on you… they aren't mutually exclusive, are they?" asked Sasuke, after finally managing to stand up.

"If you want to realize your dreams, you must make sacrifices. The measurement of the importance of your dreams depends not on your hard work, but on the sacrifices you make" said Itachi, and for the first time since the one-sided fight had started Sasuke noticed a feeling in Itachi's voice besides scorn. It sounded like sadness. No, it had to be something else. "If you want to kill me, you have to become like me."

"I will _never_ be like you! Katon: Noba no jutsu."

The powerful firestorm burning everything in its path moved at frightening speed towards Itachi who didn't try to avoid it. The inferno engulfed him, and Sasuke thought that he had finally killed Itachi.

Vain thought.

Itachi was spinning around himself, creating a current of air that was protecting him from the fire. The fire was flying in the air around Itachi, creating a column of fire and illuminating his Sharingan eyes. Sasuke tried launched ten shurikens with strings attached. He was planning to use the strings to trap Itachi as soon as he avoided the shurikens, since not even Uchiha Itachi could stop all of ten shurikens launched simultaneously at different parts of the body.

Itachi stopped the ten shurikens with his left hand as if it were nothing.

Sasuke sighed. Itachi was just fighting defensively. Why didn't he try to kill him? Was he still so worthless he wasn't even worth killing?

"Suiton: Suiryuudan no jutsu" yelled Sasuke doing the seals and a Water Dragon attacked Itachi, who blocked the water blast with his bare hand.

"Useless" Itachi said.

Sasuke didn't answer. He ran really fast and got behind Itachi. Chidori blazing, he charged towards Itachi hoping to surprise him. Itachi blocked the chidori with an arm and hit Sasuke violently with an elbow.

Sasuke felt blood in his mouth, while he staggered. Itachi continued his attack and Sasuke barely had time to see the strike straight to the face, far less to try to avoid it.

Sasuke's body was thrown to the side as if he were a rag doll. For a moment his limbs refused to accept his orders.

"Is that the best you can do? Pathetic!" said Itachi. Sasuke gritted his teeth, his limbs were moving coordinately again and they were out for blood "I'll show you real power, the true power of the Uchiha clan" continued Itachi.

Sasuke backed and got ready. Itachi started doing some seals at frightening speed. Still, Sasuke recognized them. He bit his two index fingers and started drawing the seals of Orochimaru's strongest defense before Itachi had finished.

"KATON! NOBA NO JUTSU!" Yelled Itachi and a true inferno came to him, far, far strongest than his own.

Sasuke finished the jutsu Rashomon and a huge wall contained the fire. For a moment it looked like the wall would resist the fire. However nothing could resist the conflagration. As the wall fell on him, Sasuke smiled. Maybe he still had a chance of surviving.

Naruto and Sakura looked up to the horizon. A huge light had suddenly appeared from nowhere. There was a huge chakra being released.

"What..?"

"It's them! Run!" yelled Sakura. Naruto was forced to run behind her.

Kisame was looking at the forest that had been there just a few seconds ago. The trees that were in front of Itachi hadn't been burn, they had been _carbonized_. Itachi calmly walked to Sasuke, or more actually what was left of Sasuke. Most of his body was burnt; the rest was buried in rubble.

"Your use of Henge no Jutsu has always been weak, foolish brother" Itachi said.

The half-burned body smiled and got up while the genjutsu disappeared and Sasuke, again, full of bruises, was up again. However, Itachi had to admit that even if his little brother's body didn't hold on till the end, his eyes, his spirit, apparently did. They were looking at him, with so much hate, so much fury...

Itachi grabbed a kunai and started to walk towards Sasuke.

"Let's finish this! "Sasuke and started running towards Itachi using the chidori.

Itachi got ready to cut him down when a second Sasuke, emerged from underground, grabbing Itachi from behind. It was less than a second, but it was exactly what Sasuke needed to pierce Itachi with the chidori. The second clone disappeared.

"When the wall was hiding me, I got a shadow clone to surprise you, brother" There was a long pause. Blood started to pour from Itachi's wound over Sasuke's arm that was still unmoving. "I hated you brother... and I missed you too." There was a tired smile playing on Sasuke's lips.

"Aa." answered Itachi with the eyes closed. When he opened them, there was contempt in his expression "As I thought, you are still weak.

Sasuke blinked once, twice and understood. He tried to take out his arm... too late

In that moment the explosive clone exploded, and Sasuke took the full blast.

* * *

Sasuke opened his eyes. Itachi was on top of him holding a katana. His reflexes acted and he jumped away, barely missing Itachi's strike.

He tried to pick up a kunai with his right hand, but he realized that where his hand used to be, there was only a stump now. There was no pain yet. He calmly analyzed the situation and considered that he was in a state of shock. His left hand went to his face and he looked with disdain as his hand came back red with blood. He took the forehead protector. It looked just a scrawny piece of scratched-up metal. His head was also bleeding.

"You failed" said Itachi, turning around.

"Are you trying to run away again?" Asked Sasuke coldly "I'm still alive. I haven't given up!"

Itachi stopped and turned around.

"If you want to die so badly, so be it."

Sasuke got ready. He still had control of his body. He had to kill Itachi before he died of blood loss. He would have to use all the chakra he had on regenerating destroyed cells to close the wounds. That meant that he wouldn't be able to use any jutsus. Didn't matter, since all the jutsus he knew needed two hands.

« I will never be able to use any jutsus again. » The thought came to his head, and he was surprised how little he cared about the future. He only cared about this fight. He had to think about a plan.

Then Itachi attacked. Sasuke couldn't read his movements at all. First, a powerful kick to his face. He was barely able to block it. Without any pause, there was another kick to his abdomen. He would have fallen but Itachi beat him to it. A third kick his legs, sweeping them. For less than a second Sasuke was falling down. Itachi finished the fight with a flip-kick to his face. This time Sasuke wasn't able to stop it.

Sasuke felt the bruises around his body while he tried to stand.

"_Weak_" said Itachi slowly, carefully pronouncing carefully every letter. Only that gave Sasuke enough hate to stand up and to back away.

Itachi smirked and started to dash again directly to Sasuke who saw the blade coming to his head. Sasuke barely dodged, jumping backwards while a glinting metal katana passed where his head had just been. Even as he felt the blood running down his cheek, he felt something close to ecstasy. His brother was finally turning back and looking at him. Finally he was strong enough that his brother had to kill him.

Itachi attacked.

Sasuke tried to block him, but Itachi just moved past him, getting ready to attack Sasuke from behind.

"Damn!" yelled Sasuke. He jumped forward, hoping to avoid Itachi's next attack, and turned around in the air, trying to catch a glimpse of his brother. However he wasn't anywhere.

«Where? Right, left, down and...» And for the first time in the fight, he felt a killing intent... «... and behind. » He could feel Itachi's black cape almost touching him for the effect of the wind.

"You are really fast!" Sasuke said. He was feeling weak. He looked to the right without moving his head. Itachi's shadow was there. Thanks to the shadow he could see Itachi holding the katana. He could also feel Itachi's aura, like a wolf getting ready to jump. The slightest movement and Itachi would cut him. "I am not beaten yet."

"You are pathetic!" Itachi said. "I killed the whole clan, and still, deep in your heart, you have doubts. I was in position and yet you doubted for a second in launching your trap."

"I was just waiting for the right moment" corrected Sasuke. He didn't want to ask himself if Itachi's words were right. No, he didn't want to. If he doubted for a second, he was afraid he was going to faint. He still needed more time to create new body cells to replace the destroyed ones.

"Brother, I'm kind of jealous, why did you have to kill that girl's family? Wasn't one avenger enough? Do you really want to die so much?"

"I don't want to die" corrected Itachi. "For me, you are just" Sasuke could almost feel his smile "toys to amuse me"

Sasuke felt his rage burning him inside. His chakra reserves were almost depleted, but at least he wasn't bleeding anymore. He was ready for the final strike.

"Let's finish this!" He said.

"Aa" answered Itachi. Sasuke could see the shadow moving the katana, getting ready to strike.

Sasuke grabbed his last kunai. He had been too optimistic at the beginning of the fight, and had thought that he had one possibility out of a hundred to beat Itachi. Being realistic, his chances were right then one out of a million. Itachi was going to kill him now. However, even if his possibilities were one in a trillion, he would still fight him.

Sasuke smiled, and started to turn, full speed. He could also feel Itachi's moving. It was said that one's whole life passes in front of you when you die. He was watching his life now. His life of Avenger. The voice of the one he used to love filled his mind.

"_Foolish little brother..."_

He was still turning. He could barely see Itachi now.

"_If you wish to kill me—hate me..."_

The image of his parents, bloody and lifeless on the floor of their home, flashed in his mind.

"_Survive pathetically and run, run..."_

He could see Itachi now. His katana was going faster than him. He was going to die.

"..._and cling desperately to life."_

No, he didn't want to die remembering the words that had set his path as an avenger. He wanted to forget them. Even if it was just for an instant, his last instant, he wanted to think about something else. He didn't want to remember the horror of that fateful night.

He wanted to die remembering _them_, the people that had somehow broken all the walls that he had put around his heart.

"_Friends forever" Naruto said. He had been crying._

"_Sasuke. That night, we both got drunk, and we made love. It was a mistake we both made, but it was the sweetest mistake I have ever made. I don't repent of anything I did. We have been living together one year, and I want to be together the rest of my life with you. That's the whole truth" Said Sakura._

"_Sakura, I love you. I really love you. I am glad I was born, because I was able to meet you."_

His last words to her. He had meant every word. They would be his last memory. To die fighting Itachi, thinking his precious people was a good way to die.

Itachi's blade was almost reaching his neck, when Itachi suddenly changed its trajectory and used the katana to stop one dozen shurikens.

Sasuke continued with the movement of the kunai and Itachi barely avoided it.

"Who?" asked Itachi, still keeping an eye on his brother and looking for the new enemy.

"The star of the story always comes at the very last moment to save the day!" yelled a blond shinobi with an orange suit.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" asked Sasuke.

"You will never be on your own as long as I'm still here. I haven't forgotten your promise either. You have to make Sakura happy!" said Naruto, adopting a fighting pose. One of the annoying customs he had picked from Lee.

"Naruto! Go away! Itachi is too strong!"

"You are unfair Sasuke" said Naruto. "If it were me, you would stay, wouldn't you? If you were to die, I would feel very alone. You are like a brother to me. That's the reason that I'm going to fight with you. Remember, you are not alone!" He took a good look at Sasuke's wounds "Besides you really need my help"

Sasuke was going to yell at him, was going to order him to go away, tell him that this was _his_ fight, when he saw something in his kunai. There was blood. He raised his eyes. Itachi was holding his bleeding arm. Uchiha Itachi had been hurt. He had finally gotten hurt, thanks to Naruto's intervention.

Maybe, just maybe, his approach to fighting Itachi was wrong. If both Naruto and Sakura were so important to him, and he was so important to them, then fighting alone was wrong. If he didn't want to hurt them, then he had to fight _with_ them and make sure everybody survived.

"Let's fight with Team 7's full power!" yelled Naruto. Sasuke's eyes turned to Naruto. Oh, yes. He had understood it. Sakura was around, probably hidden, waiting for the chance to strike. Damn it! He should have pressed the pressure points harder. He had been too concerned with her welfare and he had pressed them too softly. "Sasuke, don't forget that I am four times stronger than you."

«Strategy four?» thought Sasuke. Well, that was probably the correct one, considering the circumstances. Using his own face as bait, Naruto would dance with his shadow clones around Itachi while he waited for his chance. It was a fat chance, but it was the best they had.

Naruto started concentrating his Kyubi's chakra. He had gotten better over the years at using the chakra of the monster.

Much better.

* * *

Kisame looked at the person standing in the ball of chakra, wind and sand moving around him. He wasn't the Naruto they had to kidnap. Instead of a clear, pale blue, the small pupils of his eyes were red, and in its depths, he imagined a fire blazing. The six marks on his cheeks had lengthened considerably and he was gritting his teeth in anger.

He noticed out of the corner of his eyes that Itachi was also staring with attention at Naruto, his hair and clothes billowing in the wind produced from the huge power of Naruto's chakra. He was smiling. He was more afraid of Itachi than of any nine-tails demon.

"Itachi, we should..." he tried to call.

"Kisame, shut up!" Itachi ordered and his eyes returned to the two shinobis. One of them, his own brother, still bleeding and with one arm and half of the face missing. The second one, the Kyubi vessel "This is going to be interesting."

Kisame watched as the Kyubi vessel transformed into the young Uchiha using Henge no Jutsu and then he produced hundreds and hundreds of copies of himself. Kisame tried to guess where the real one was. That was impossible when all the Sasukes rushed at Itachi. Nobody could follow every single one of... well, in Itachi's case, he probably could.

Just then, he noticed another's person chakra. He looked to the left. Hidden behind a tree, he could feel a chakra. Probably one partner of the other two leafs. Kisame smiled. He was finally going to get some action. He was Hoshigaki Kisame. He was one of the Akatsuki members. _Nobody_ should underestimate him. Before the day was over, there was going to be a lot of blood.

* * *

* * *

* * *

Well, here is the next story. I hope you like it. Did you like the fight? Most of part 2 is going to be about fights, although there is still going to be heavy character development, so I need to know how are my abilities in writing battle scenes. Please send me some feedback, since I really learna lot from all the reviews I get. So, did you like the story?


	25. Teamwork

**Chapter 25 Teamwork**

_The most important thing is teamwork. That is a line that is repeated over and over and over to the young academy students. And yet... sometimes I wonder. I would have preferred to die instead of Obito. I wish he wasn't there. Of course I know this kind of thinking is not only useless but dangerous. And yet... sometimes I wonder..._

Kakashi

* * *

The battle was still being fought. Itachi was killing off the Naruto clones with insulting easiness. Sasuke, thanks to the fact that the Naruto clones were all transformed into identical Sasukes, missing right arm included, was watching the fight always from behind. Sasuke hated to admit it, but Itachi was just too good. Even while killing all the clones at superior speed he never showed any openings. The wound on Itachi had been just a scratch. 

Finally, he got a basic understanding in the pattern in Itachi's movements, a pattern almost impossible to notice without the Sharingan. Sasuke waited, running around, using the clones as shield and cover, and finally at the right moment, he attacked.

He ran straight away toward Itachi's back. He only had one chance, his first chance in the whole fight. Yet at the last moment his battle senses, the ones that had saved him through his shinobi life, yelled at him.

He jumped backwards, just before Itachi's kunai, moving at unnatural speed, grazed his face, right near his only eye left. Sasuke was sheltered by the next batch of shadow clones and he was able to back away with only a new scar, not even very deep compared with the others, hiding from Itachi's endless power. He needed a little more time to stop the cold sweat.

There was no way that Itachi, or anybody, could fake a movement pattern in the middle of a _battle_. Still, when Itachi had added another scar to his collection, they had exchanged glances. He had seen Itachi's scornful look. That was impossible... still Itachi had done it.

He was having a real bad feeling about this fight.

* * *

Sakura was having a real bad feeling about this fight. 

Sakura glanced at Kisame. The other Akatsuki shinobi seemed to be also concentrated on the fight. That was good. She had to get ready. Itachi was too fast, he was avoiding and eliminating the shadow clones too easily. However even the most powerful shinobi in Leaf's history was human.

Sooner or later he would leave an opening, and she would strike. At least she hoped so.

She looked again at Kisame, but he had disappeared.

«Uh? » she thought. She then felt Kisame's chakra behind her. She turned around. Kisame was behind her, waving his huge sword towards her. She jumped high to avoid the attack, but it was too late and she was far too slow. She managed to not get cut in two, but her right leg was not fast enough.

She screamed in pain, as she fell down with only one leg.

Both Sasuke and Naruto turned around when they heard the scream. Forgetting Itachi, the both of them ran to her, leaving behind half the clones that kept on the attack. The other half attacked Kisame that quickly had to retreat against the superiority in numbers of the clones.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!" cried Naruto.

Blood was pouring from the huge wound. Sakura screamed in pain. Sasuke too wanted to scream in horror, but his trained body was acting on his own. First knocking her unconscious with a precise hit, and then quickly applying a tourniquet using his shirt as makeshift bandage.

Sasuke took a long look at her. Then he closed her eyes and turned around. His face was a mask.

"Naruto. She is hurt. She needs medical treatment. Take her to the hospital in the near city. I'll protect your retreat. Hurry up!" ordered Sasuke carefully and accurately.

Naruto almost obeyed him. Then he took a good look at Sasuke. His right hand and part of the arm were gone, his face also partly gone, and there were multiples bruises along Sasuke's body. Naruto smiled, and his eyes went to Sakura. Her beautiful face was pale as a corpse and covered by sweat. He thought she was more beautiful than ever. He leaned down and kissed Sakura softly in the forehead. Then he got up and moved between the two Akatsuki members and his two team-mates.

"No. Sasuke, you go." Naruto said.

"_What_? We have _no_ time for dis..." started Sasuke.

"Sasuke, you are faster than me." Said Naruto calmly "And you are hurt. You go. I'll protect you."

"This is an order! Naruto, take her and go! _NOW_!"

"Above all our differences we have always agreed on one thing even since Team 7 was created. We always put Sakura as more important than our own lives." said Naruto throwing Sasuke's words back at him. "The more time we discuss, the more blood she losses.

"Naruto..." started Sasuke. His cold expression was cracking.

"This is the logical thing to do, as you like to say Sasuke-bastard. So, take her to the hospital and move your ass back here. OK?"

There was a pause. Naruto waited. Usually, it was Sasuke that was in control of the feelings in the middle of a tense situation. In normal circumstances, Sasuke would wait till he were to break up and had to carry Sakura.

"Damn it, you _idiot_! I'll be back in a second. If you die I'll resurrect you so I can kill you _personally_. Is that clear?" said Sasuke. Naruto smiled. Probably even Sasuke didn't know how much he loved her.

"I have a few tricks. Don't worry. I never give up. That's my ninja way." Naruto said. Then he looked at Sakura "I always thought..." his voice caught in his throat for a second "I always thought I had a chance, even after so long, you know? You never really seemed the type to... I don't know. She really managed to break the ice around your heart."

"Don't start saying goodbyes yet, you idiot. I'll be back. I swear. I have tried very hard not to make friends with anyone." Sasuke drew in a long shuddering breath. "But somehow you slipped by all my defenses. It would be too annoying to find another friend, so don't die on me."

"Foolish brother, where are you going?" interrupted Itachi with a neutral expression.

Sasuke stopped for a few seconds. He felt his nails biting in his palms.

"Itachi" he said, not looking at him. If he looked at Itachi's hateful eyes, he was afraid he was going to stay and damn everybody to hell. "I'll be back. I swear. Don't run away again."

"Don't go back. You are too hurt. First heal yourself. I'll ..." Started Naruto.

"Naruto. _Don't_ play hero with me! I'll be back." Long Pause. Sasuke, the one that hated to show feelings, which he considered weaknesses, showed an expression of fear "Please, _don't_ die!"

Naruto smiled. Sasuke and Naruto locked hands with each other, and then Sasuke left carrying Sakura. Naruto watched the two of them left. He hoped they could be happy if he didn't make it

"Are you ready?" said Itachi curtly after both Sakura and Sasuke left.

Kisame smiled. Finally the nine-tails kid was alone. They would take him to Akatsuki. Their plans were finally coming together.

He turned to Itachi to say it to him... but the words couldn't get out. Itachi's face instead of the usual disinterested expression was full of extreme displeasure. He had seen him like that only two times. He still had nightmares when he thought of those two times.

Then Itachi looked at Kisame

"I didn't give you permission to enter the fight" came the icy voice of Itachi. Kisame had to stop himself from kneeling in the ground and ask for forgiveness.

"The nine-tails... Akatsuki... We have..." tried to explain Kisame.

"For this moment on, you will refrain yourself from meddling in this fight." Came again the chilly voice of Itachi. "Thank you."

Itachi returned his attention to Naruto's chakra, which was increasing exponentially every second.

"Itachi. Because of you Sasuke is suffering. I won't let you hurt my best friend!"

"Best friend of Sasuke? That's interesting."

Naruto bit his finger and started making some seals with the blood. Itachi read the jutsu and started making seals of his own. Naruto finished his seals, and a huge toad appeared. However, before the monster could do anything Itachi finished his seals and the toad disappeared.

"W-What?" asked Naruto. The use of that jutsu had exhausted him.

"Monster summoning! It was a really effective technique during the time of the Three Sennins. During the reign of the Fourth effective counter-jutsus were developed and the use of summoning was mostly forgotten due to the excessive use of chakra. I didn't know monster summoning was still being used. I guess one of the Three is teaching you." commented Itachi matter-of-fact.

Naruto started creating again shadow clones. He had to find a way to defeat him.

He was real having a bad feeling about this fight.

* * *

Sasuke watched between gasps as the stretcher carried Sakura away. Another doctor was saying something and pointing at his arm but he wasn't paying attention. As soon as he got his breath back he had to run to Naruto again. Naruto wouldn't die. He was carrying the Kyubi, after all. He would go to hell just to kick Naruto if the idiot died. 

He started walking as people looked and some even shrieked when he passed. Sasuke however didn't stop till he passed in front of the rest room of the hospital. He took some steps backwards and looked at the rest room again.

There was a horribly disfigured person looking at him. Sasuke moved his hand and the stranger also moved the hand. Yep, the guy covered in blood in the mirror was him. He was sure he wasn't going to attract many girls from that day on. He glanced at his right "arm". It was kind of interesting. He gave orders to the arm, and his brain still acted as if he was able to move the arm. However his eyes showed that nothing was there.

However, as long as he was able to kill Itachi, he didn't mind. Well, Itachi AND Kisame. He was going to rip that shark bastard in pieces.

Enough rest. Had to run.

* * *

The real Naruto felt like collapsing as ten of his last shadow clones were effortlessly cut down by Itachi. He couldn't believe it. Was that guy human? He had the Kyubi power and still he was so tired that each movement was nightmarish. However Itachi didn't even look fazed. 

He thought about something, anything, to give himself time to recover, and he could only think about one thing.

"Why? Why are you torturing Sasuke so much?" Then he instinctively said something that he didn't know it, but after he had said it he was totally positive about it. "He still loves you!"

"I know." Itachi said simply "His hate is not enough yet"

Naruto stood still. How could anybody answer to that? Then he said something else. Yes, it was funny the way instincts worked.

"I think you still love your brother" he accused.

"How could I not love my cute little brother?" Itachi asked with a smile. Naruto didn't know smiles could be so unsettling till that moment.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Naruto asked.

"You are asking it from the wrong point of view." explained Itachi. "You are asking the question as if I were a human being. However I am not a human being anymore. I am a shinobi."

"I... I don't understand."

"Children being trained since they are seven or even less to become living weapons of war. Endless training where the ultimate objective is to eliminate your opponent and become a good village dog. Are you sure you still qualify as human being? Shinobis are just tools to use and discard for the village. That's the way of the shinobi."

"N... No. _No_! I don't like that shinobi way!"

"Is that so?" Asked Itachi with a sinister smile "According to the information about you, your so called "dream" is to become the leader of the Leaf's village. Well, actually, I can guess that you care little for being a Hokage. The only thing you care about is acknowledgement from your peers. When you were a child you considered the Third the one person the villagers had more respect and that's the reason you decided to become Hokage. If the one person that people looked up the most was the leader of the bloodthirsty ANBU, your only objective would be to become the leader of the ANBU."

"You... You know nothing about me!" Yelled Naruto "It's not that way anymore!"

"Can you become a true Hokage? Can you sacrifice lives as bait for the mission to succeed?; can you send troops to a suicide battle just because retreating is bad for the village's reputation?; can you execute young boys gone missing-nins... can you do all that?"

Naruto, the real Naruto, looked around, while the shadow clones protected him. Itachi smiled. He had confirmed the location of the real Kyubi kid among all the fakes. Messing up with people's heads was amusing. Pity his foolish brother had to show up.

"Naruto!" yelled Sasuke losing all the breath he had left. After almost two straight hours of running back and forth, he was _finally_ back. Fortunately the idiot was still alive.

"Sasuke" said Naruto with a relieved voice turning around.

Behind him, Itachi raised his katana, with a dangerous expression in his eyes. Sasuke blinked and then he understood the real reason Naruto was still alive. Itachi wanted him to see it.

"LOOK OUT!" Sasuke yelled, gathering the last of his strength and running towards Naruto.

Naruto started to turn around, while Itachi ran straight to him, moving his katana in a wide arc. Sasuke ran, willing to stop the blade that intended to slice through his teammate with his own body. But no matter how fast he ran, the blade slithered through the air faster still, the edge coming closer and closer to Naruto for the killing slash.

The Sharingan was one the most powerful bloodlines ever, but it had many drawbacks. One of the most important downsides was that sometimes people didn't want to watch perfectly and clearly everything that happened in front of the eyes.

Naruto finished turning around, but he wasn't fast enough. The other shadow clones were also too slow. Sasuke saw clearly the blade passing through Naruto's neck, saw his head flying and saw the body falling headless. True, Sasuke sometimes hated the Sharingan.

Sasuke's recollection became blurry for a few seconds. He found himself holding Naruto's body and wondering what was going on. Where had the idiot put his head? No wonder he was always the worst in his class. He was always thinking about other things.

"Was he your best friend?" asked a voice in front of him. Sasuke raised his eyes. Itachi was looking at him with a blank expression "You should have killed him yourself and regret it later. Love is fleeting, but Death is eternal.

Sasuke's fire raged as never before. He screamed and lunged toward Itachi. His opponent's reflex was so fast he could barely see it. Itachi blocked the punch and Sasuke felt like striking cement. Itachi didn't even flinch. Then Itachi's wrist just seemed to flick out and then Sasuke chest felt like it was burning. Sasuke fell more than ten meters away. His shoulders complained for the rough treatment.

He got up and saw next to him Naruto's head. His lifeless eyes were staring at him. He would bet his life that Itachi's had punched him with just the right strength to shove him near it.

"Why?" Sasuke whispered. He looked at Itachi, his brother. He was suddenly too tired. The exhaustion for all the fighting and running was catching up to him

"Who knows?" said Itachi with a neutral expression. "You can think it's a warning and that I want you to be strong because I felt terribly in pain and I want you to kill me, or you can just think I am a sick bloodthirsty monster that enjoys torturing you. Make your choice. Doesn't matter to me."

Sasuke felt his hate greater than ever. He was going to kill that fiend or die trying. His own suffering was splashing to other people, and that was something he had always tried to prevent.

"I used to love you. Then my love turned to hate. I used the hate to survive. I'll make you regret you were born." said Sasuke.

Itachi wasn't paying attention. He was concentrating on his own hand. The Fourth had died before he could see the Rasengan. That was the first time he had the chance of witnessing it. It was an interesting technique to learn. Itachi started gathering chakra in his hand. Then the gathered chakra started to spin.

Sasuke was yelling and running at Itachi with a kunai in his hand. He wasn't concentrating on defense anymore. He only wanted to kill, to strike in any vital point.

Itachi contemplated the rasengan in his hand and then he easily avoided Sasuke's strike. Then he moved like a snake closer to his brother

Sasuke saw it clearly again. Thanks to his Sharingan eyes he saw everything. He saw Itachi avoiding his best attack without any difficulty. He saw Itachi getting then closer to him, his bodies almost touching. He felt a tremendously powerful chakra attack in his chest. He felt his bones and flesh being pulverized. He fell.

He thought that he hated the Sharingan. Then he thought about a loud-mouth blond in an orange suit with a heart full of ambitions and then he thought on a certain pink-haired girl, the most annoying person ever. He had failed them.

His body impacted against the ground, the guts fell less than a second later.

Kisame looked at the two Leaf shinobis in front of him. Wrong. He was looking at the two _dead_ Leaf shinobis in front of him, including the nine-tails. Itachi was crazy. He had killed the Naruto kid. SHIT! The Kyubi was dead. The other members of Akatsuki were going to kill them. He wanted to insult Itachi. He wanted to strangle him. He wanted to warn him about the consequences of angering the higher echelons of Akatsuki, but he didn't dare.

"It's sad. I didn't intend to kill the nine-tails, but he died protecting his friend Sasuke." Itachi said and looked at Kisame "Is that clear?"

"Yes!" said Kisame too fast. The threat wasn't even disguised.

"We are leaving" said Itachi turning around.

Kisame started to follow Itachi when he noticed that the body of the brother of Itachi was still very faintly moving. Well, he was moribund anyway. The blood was leaving the body and the injuries were mortal. The kid was dead. His body didn't know it yet.

"Itachi. Your brother is still alive." He waved his huge sword "Can I finish him off?"

"Kisame, you can do whatever you want" Itachi answered.

Kisame smiled. Itachi was a cool guy, when he wasn't slaughtering people and stuff. He walked till the body of the Uchiha kid. He was moving the lips weakly. Was he saying a name? Well, it didn't matter.

Kisame raised his huge sword, and he let it fall on the kid. However the blade never hit the body. There was a strange chakra covering Sasuke's body like a halo and stopping the attack.

"What?" asked Kisame. Suddenly the chakra moved on his own and attacked.

Itachi looked with keen interest as Kisame's body was pounded numerous times by the chakra. The huge frame of Kisame was thrown away as if it were a piece of paper.

"Itachi!" Kisame pleaded.

Itachi walked till the body of Sasuke, making sure he wasn't doing any movements that could be interpreted as hazardous. He looked as the long, bloody cuts were being regenerated; not even leaving scars or scabs.

"Itachi!" Repeated Kisame "I broke some ribs! Help me! What's going on?"

"Interesting. The chakra protecting Sasuke seems to be some residual energy left by the Kyubi kid." said Itachi "It's said that the strongest demon, the ten tails, was killed by the person that first developed the ninjutsu, that is, the first shinobi. However that first shinobi was killed by the demon, the legend says, after the demon had been killed. Apparently after a demon dies, there is some residual energy that wants to prolong the strong desire the demon had just before he died. In Naruto's case, since he died wanting to protect his friend, the residual chakra is protecting and healing him."

Kisame slowly got up. Sasuke also got up. He glanced at his right arm. It was also regenerating.

"What do you mean? He is going to be protected by that chakra shield _forever_?" asked Kisame with a scared expression. The young Uchiha had the same chakra as the beginning of the fight. No, it was increasing. His intent to kill seemed even stronger, if that a thing was possible.

"No. As I said, it's just some residual energy. In a few hours it will be gone."

"Time enough for me to kill you, monster" Sasuke said, holding a kunai and walking slowly towards Itachi. He was still dizzy. As he walked, he was still regenerating. He finally got his right eye back. Both his eyes could see to Itachi with all his hate.

"I am no monster, foolish brother. I am just a shinobi." said Itachi closing his eyes. When he opened, Itachi was using the Mangekyou Sharingan. "And I'm tired of losing my time."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yelled Sasuke. He had been caught with his guard down. Now it was too late. The chakra shield protected Sasuke against physical attacks, not against genjutsu. For the equivalent time of forty-eight hours, he saw the death of Naruto over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over...

Sasuke fell down comatose.

Itachi looked at Sasuke cataleptic body with a disinterested expression while Kisame ever so slowly walked toward Itachi. Then his eyes turned to Sakura's lost leg.

"Itachi! I'm hurt" Kisame groaned.

"The only city with a hospital big enough is the one we left some time ago. Probably Sasuke took the girl there." Itachi said and then he started walking in that direction.

"Where are you going?"

"I want Sasuke's lesson to be clear enough" His eyes turned toward Kisame, and Kisame shuddered "I am going to kill the girl Sasuke helped."

Then Itachi kept walking toward the city.

* * *

Well, here is another installment of the story. It is turning definitely darker. Did you like the chapter? 


	26. The Protector

**Chapter 26 The Protector**

_"I'll protect everybody. I won't let anybody die"_

Uzumaki Naruto

* * *

Hinata, Kiba and Shino were running, following Kurenai after a successful mission at the south of Fire country. Kurenai had the greatest smile ever clinging on her lips. It was the first time her team had an A-mission, which involved the murder of many enemies. It had been carried perfectly: All the targets had been eliminated. Accidental witnesses had also been disposed. Acid had been thrown onto the corpses to make it their identification more difficult. Some throwaway scapegoats had been found. After all the mess they have done she was left with one wish: To have a _really_ hot bubble bath at the Leaf. Yes, HOT bubbles. She always enjoyed boiling bubble bath. A lot of hot bubbles, running down her body... 

Hinata was feeling quite satisfied too. She had killed five people by sneaking from behind and then slitting her throats. None of them had noticed anything until they felt the blood leaving unannounced their bodies. She was well in the way of becoming a true shinobi. Hopefully Naruto would be happy for her.

She was running behind both Kiba and Shino when she suddenly saw briefly as she passed Naruto mouthing her name with a cute smile and waving his hand merrily

"Na-Na-Naruto-kun?" She asked as she stopped and looked back.

Naruto was nowhere to be seen. She blushed. She couldn't believe she was daydreaming of Naruto. She was not a kid anymore. She hoped Naruto would return soon. She was all right with friend-to-friend business until she managed to get rid of stammering. Naruto and she could become...

Hinata didn't know why, but she suddenly shivered.

«It's getting cold» she thought.

* * *

«Danger! » 

Sakura woke up. She had been sweating. Her clothes were soggy from her sweats. She looked around to find out where she was. It was certainly nowhere in the forest. The sterile white told her that she was in a hospital. She looked at her bandaged leg. Wrong. She was looking at the place where her leg used to be. For a few seconds, she felt confusion and pain... Quickly her shinobi training took over. She was feeling danger near. She had to get ready.

She started to move, but her movements were slow and barely coordinated. Damn! She was still dizzy from the painkillers. If anybody attacked her she was DEAD-MEAT!

First she smashed the chair against the wall. Next she used her teeth to tear the blankets, wetting them with the water of the washbasin to increase their resistance. With a pair of legs of the chair and the wet strips of blankets she managed an improvised leg.

She looked around the room for any kind of weapons. Why was she in a room without any windows? Then the coat hanger came in to her view. She picked it up as makeshift weapon.

Then the door opened.

There was a person looking at her with disinterested eyes. A person that looked too much alike with her beloved husband.

"Itachi!" Sakura yelled. Then she understood. Her chest started to hurt. If Itachi was there, Naruto had been captured. Sasuke would never let his best friend to be captured. That meant he was... Sasuke was...

"Where are Sasuke and Naruto?" She yelled.

"Their fate should not interest you. You should concern with yourself since you are going to die." Itachi explained expressionlessly.

"Bullshit!" yelled Sakura. Itachi was going to try to kill her for being a witness, but she was not going to die. She was going to bring him down. She was going to avenge Sasuke. She started making seals. "KATON!" She called out and a concentrated firestorm that exploded in the close quarter and pointblank against Itachi.

"Surprising. I didn't expect anyone so young to control Katon so well except anyone from the Uchiha clan." commented Itachi, stopping the fire with only one hand. He moved his other hand in the fire to catch the burnt chair splinters she had tried to use as hidden projectiles.

"Damn you!" She started to run away concentrating her chakra in her left hand. Uchiha sighed. It was too easy. She obviously wanted to break the wall and escape. He grabbed one kunai and was getting ready to throw it to her back.

However she surprised him as she jumped to wall, then to the roof, and lastly she propelled herself straight to Itachi. She was using the chakra in her left hand to try to hit his neck, a vital point.

Itachi sighed. He easily stopped her punch with his hand, canceling her gathered chakra with his own. Then he _crushed_ her left hand.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHH!" She screamed.

"Too slow" he objectively commented getting ready for the final strike.

She pulled back twitching at the pain of broken bones and adopted a defense position with the coat hanger. He looked curiously at her. Was she ready expecting to survive against him with _a coat hanger_?

Then he noticed something in her ring finger. He moved swift, blocked her attack, and broke her right wrist in purpose to take a good look at her right hand. He used his kunai to cut off her ring finger. She screamed again as she backed away trying to stem the flow of her blood.

"This is my mother's ring. So _you_ are the one my brother chose to marry. Interesting. I was going to kill you because I was concerned that Sasuke chose to take care of you instead of continuing the fight. Now I have a better reason to kill you. It's a sure way of making Sasuke suffer." He said in a monotonous tone. Sakura immediately felt a heavy burden in her heart disappearing. Sasuke was alive! Even if she were going to die, at least Sasuke was alive.

"Why?" asked Sakura looking at him. Now she could understand why Sasuke hated Itachi so much. There was something unnerving in the way Itachi never showed any emotions as he spoke. "Why do you want to put Sasuke in so much pain?"

"Sasuke won't be able to kill me as long as his hate is not strong enough. You are interfering with his development into a perfect shinobi. I want his hate to grow. I want it to grow enough to kill his best friend and abandon his wife without a second thought. That's the reason you must die. I must harden his heart" Itachi explained.

"What do you know about the heart? You don't have a heart!"

"I do, and it beats too. But only at the pace I decide. It doesn't have the right to decide." said Itachi. His words were conversational and his face unreadable.

Sakura gritted her teeth in anger. She knew that she was trapped, and at Itachi's mercy. What was worse, she knew full well that Itachi had no mercy. However, she would be damned if she was to roll up and die.

"You are like Orochimaru, or even the Hokage. You only care about Sasuke's abilities in fighting or his Sharingan. Well, you can all rot in hell! My name is Uchiha Sakura, and I'm going to fight!" Sakura lunged again at Itachi, who simply punched her so fast she didn't even have time to blink.

She fell against the opposite wall. She felt the taste of blood in her mouth. A terrible pain in her ribcage told her she had at least one rib broken, almost certainly more. She thought that was _it_ for her... but Itachi didn't finish her off. She raised her head. Itachi was looking at her with a curious expression.

"Uchiha... Sakura?" Itachi smiled. A smile devoid of feelings "Well, well, well. That's interesting. Is that the reason Sasuke chose to marry you? Because of your name? Is he trying to send me a message?"

"Do you think every single thing Sasuke does is for you? You self-centered _bastard_! What's wrong with my name!" asked Sakura.

"So, he didn't tell you" said Itachi to himself. "He didn't tell you about how the Uchiha clan was created. About the old and boring story of two brothers who had a useless feud between them and about the woman who got caught in the middle. The woman was called Sakura. Of course she died."

"Sasuke didn't marry me because of my name!" assured Sakura.

"Is that so? Then maybe it's just fate that is playing a joke on us." Commented Itachi "The Uchiha clan sinned when it was created through the conflict between kin, and it will end with the same sin through a conflict between kin. It will end with a fight between another avenger and another protector."

«Protector? » mentally Sakura asked herself. Who was he protecting? How _dare_ he call himself the protector? Was Sasuke the protector and Itachi the avenger?

"I am sorry" said Sakura with a tired smile "I don't understand what you are talking about and I don't believe in fate. I always believed that fate is a convenient excuse people use to justify their actions. You don't have any excuse for what you did.

"I have no special reason to tell you why I killed my clan. However since you are my sister-in-law I guess I could tell you about what one Hyuga historian with a warped sense of humor called the Uchiha Tragedy." Itachi paused "It all started a few hundred of years ago. The Hyuga clan was as it is now, the most powerful clan of the region. Fire Country didn't..."

"SHUT UP! Do you think I care about something that happened hundred of years ago? You are crazy! I don't care about the past!"

Itachi looked at her. It had been a long time since anybody had dared to interrupt him like that. He smiled. This girl was interesting. Her eyes... they held the same hate as Sasuke.

Sakura charged again at him. Itachi counterattacked again too fast for her to prevent it. He concentrated enough chakra at his hand and then lashed at her. With a lighting move he ripped off her right eyeball off her face.

Sakura was pushed back. She felt her legs wavering. She had to use all her willpower not to fall. Yet, she didn't cry. She had to bite her lower lip to bear her pain. She was NOT going to cry in front of this fiend.

Her left eye still glared at Itachi with murderous hate.

"From now on, every time Sasuke looks at you he will remember his failure at protecting you and his own weakness. His hate will grow and it will make him stronger." said Itachi putting the eyeball in his pocket.

"Why?" She repeated weakly, before staring Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan eyes, entering the illusion of the genjutsu Tsukuyomi. She screamed as the world changed around her.

"Within the realm of Tsukuyomi space and time are under my control. For the next hours you will experience why Sasuke hates me."

And she did experience it. She was watching a baby, which he instinctively knew was Sasuke, through another person's eyes. That person looked for a moment at a mirror. He was a younger version of Itachi. She knew she was watching his memories. She couldn't do anything as Itachi played with the baby.

She watched different memories for hours. The only common link of all the memories was that Sasuke was always in them. A young Sasuke that really loved his brother.

Sometimes it was more than love. It was infatuation. The younger brother was always following the older one. Itachi was always very kind. He didn't mind having Sasuke around and he always taught the younger one tricks and skills. It was Itachi who taught Sasuke how to whistle, how to paint, how to saw and even how to cook omelets without burning the whole house. At the fifth try the omelets were even edible.

Then... the massacre. She saw as Itachi killed all the members of the Uchiha clan, every one of them. Those that tried to fight and those that didn't. It wasn't a fight, as Itachi was on a whole different level. It was just a bloodbath. He killed them without pity. He killed them without mercy.

An unsuspecting Sasuke came along a little time later. Itachi tortured him mentally, showing him the destruction he had caused. Sakura could almost feel the pain Sasuke was experiencing.

Sakura limp body finally fell to the ground, making a strong sound as her head bumped with the floor.

"Please" Itachi said to her comatose body "If you ever try to kill your son, do a good job. I hate inefficiency. The Leaf Village was inefficient too. They tried to make me into a perfect killing tool, and they almost succeeded. However they failed. If they hadn't..."

Itachi paused and sighed. Dwelling about past actions was also very unproductive. He left the room taking a last good look at the girl, _Uchiha Sakura_

He started looking for Kisame, another inefficient person. He had clearly told him to take care of the escape route; however he was losing his time killing useless humans.

Following the chakra he was emitting, he entered the maternity room. That was the problem with Kisame, Itachi considered. He was not only weak of body but also weak of spirit. Kisame had felt fear of Sasuke. Those weak of spirit only knew how to fight fear causing pain to weaker forms of life, like the three nurses and four parents that had tried to stop Kisame's rage. Obviously they were dead, like most of the babies in the room.

"Kisame, let's go." He ordered. "There has been enough bloodshed for today."

Kisame had a mad grimace and didn't hear it for a few seconds. Then he started to laugh.

"Just give me a few seconds."

"Kisame" Itachi just said without any trace of anger. Kisame _very_ quickly decided to stop.

"Did you kill the girl?"

"Killing her would be useless. If I kill her now, there wouldn't be enough pain. I'll give Sasuke a slight hope, which I'll take it away from him later. When I kill that girl, it will be in front of my weak brother. It will make him realize just how weak he is. It will increase his hate and his desire to kill me tenfold." Itachi explained. He stopped his calm walking, and the he started to laugh in his characterized slow, menacing laugh.

"What's so funny?" asked Kisame, although he didn't really want to know.

Itachi looked at Kisame and smiled.

"I just though it would provide endless amusement for me if the next Uchiha heir that girl was to carry was actually mine" Itachi explained.

Immediately Kisame felt sick. He had killed a lot of people and he didn't care enough to even count them. If the authorities were to catch him, he would be executed immediately, he knew that. However he didn't consider himself particularly "evil".

Itachi was a true devil, the kind that his mother used to tell him when he was a little boy to scare him and make him shut the fuck up.

"I was just joking" said Itachi humorlessly as he walked off. Kisame followed, thinking that Itachi usually never made jokes.

* * *

"_How is Sakura doing?" asked Naruto._

"_She is fine. She is still worried about her chuunin exam." said Sasuke._

"_Don't forget that if she is unhappy, you will _pay_." Naruto said trying to sound serious... and failing miserably. One lifetime ago they had fight trying to hurt each other._

"_Is that a threat, you idiot?" Sasuke smirked._

_Naruto returned the same expression, lightly punching Sasuke's shoulder._

"_It's a promise, jerk..."_

Sasuke woke up with a terrified scream. At first he thought he was crying but no, it was the rain. He looked around, still looking for Itachi. He didn't feel anybody close. He immediately found the trail of Kisame's steps. He apparently had been wounded; He was carrying his sword in a way that left some heavy tracks very easy to follow if he hurried up.

Sasuke didn't move. He was staring at a spot where a body was lying, headless. The head was two meters away from the body.

"Naruto" he whispered. He hugged the body of his best friend. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't. To cry was useless. Naruto was dead and it was his fault. It was his fault. He should have died that night where he was seven. He should have left the Leaf when he had the chance. Itachi should have killed him in the last fight. Why was he still alive? WHY WAS HE STILL ALIVE!

He should have known better than to let Naruto and Sakura get close. That sadistic bitch called destiny had been plotting against him since birth, taking away all his precious people and leaving him to live a dark life alone until the day he was pathetically killed by his own brother. Sasuke could bet that if he were to meet destiny face-to-face, it would laugh at him.

He looked up to the black sky as the rain washed away Itachi's trail. He knew he had to follow him, but he was just so tired, so tired...

It was only one hour later that he gathered enough strength to act as a true shinobi.

He disposed of Naruto's body exactly as he had been taught: Without a trace. He had faithfully studied how a shinobi's body had within it secrets of the village's ninjutsu, information on different chakra types, herbs and other things that would reveal secrets about the village. Disposing the body was essential to protect the village.

That was exactly what he did: He chopped his best to pieces, doing his duty as a true shinobi.

He actually tried to cry, but he just couldn't. He just couldn't shed a single tear. After he completely burned the pieces and scattered the ashes to the wind, he wondered if he was still a human being.

His brother would be proud.

* * *

Sakura woke up. She looked around confused as her eye left came into focus. She tried to raise her head and felt a pain sear through her stomach. She scanned the room from her position. The Hokage was looking at her with a tired smile. She could almost feel Kakashi's smile besides his mask. She could also see Sasuke's back as he stared at the window. Naruto was nowhere to be seen. 

"Are you all right?" asked Kakashi.

"Fine. How long have I been out?" She asked.

"One week. Sasuke took you all the way here and I wasn't in the village when you came." explained the Hokage. Sakura flashed a smile at Sasuke's direction. However Sasuke was still as a corpse still looking away.

"Where is Naruto?" Sakura asked.

There was a deafening silence as Kakashi and Tsunade glanced at each other and then back at her.

"What happened to Naruto!" repeated Sakura in an innocent tone.

"He's dead" uttered simply Sasuke still looking away. He was afraid of facing Sakura "Itachi eliminated him.

Sakura felt like a thousand or maybe a million kunais and shurikens stabbing every part of her body as Sasuke's words sank.

"No... Why?" She asked herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Because that's life" Sasuke said. He turned and looked at her. He looked at her ring finger. The doctors at least had been able to attach it back, but the scar would always be there. The bandages were covering her right eye. Her left hand and right wrist also had casts. The covers of the bed were preventing him from watching her chest or the stump that was her right leg now. "Welcome to the cruel world." He added and left the room with the shoulders shagged. Watching her was his punishment for his weakness.

Kakashi followed.

"Sasuke" he called in the corridor of the hospital.

Sasuke kept walking for a few seconds. He stopped.

"Aa?" Sasuke asked. He was thinking it was very futile to talk now. He didn't feel like talking. There was no point on saying anything anymore.

"You should have some sleep. You must be too tired. You have been up at her side since you brought her here. Even when the nurses tried to take you away you refused to move.

Sasuke just smirked and turned around intending to leave.

"Have you actually slept at _all_ since Naruto died?" Kakashi asked.

"I didn't have time for sleeping. I was thinking." He sighed and turned around. There was a pleading look in Sasuke's tired eyes. "He beat all of us, sensei. He beat all of us... and didn't even break a sweat doing it." He started to laugh. "We worked so hard, Kakashi-sensei. So hard... and we were useless. We couldn't do anything! We were so... so..." Sasuke clutched his had in to a fist and smacked it against the wall, making cracks on it. "_Weak_."

Kakashi didn't know it, but the contempt in his voice was exactly the same that was on Itachi's voice when he had said that same word to the younger sibling.

"It isn't your fault. I read the preliminary report you made while at the hospital..."

"Wasn't it Sensei?" He violently stepped into the restroom. "Look at me. Look at me! Naruto is dead! Sakura is... is...!" He couldn't continue. Kakashi could see he was trying to control himself, as he had always done. "And... I _don't even have _a _scar_!" Sasuke concluded as he smashed his fist against the mirror, which shattered into a thousand little diamonds that played the saddest tune upon crashing to the tiled floor. His hand was bleeding profusely as he wrapped it into a towel that began to turn in deep crimson.

"Stop it." Kakashi pleaded calmly. Sasuke wondered what Kakashi was referring to. Stopping his revenge? Stopping his feelings of guilt? Stopping his desire to smash his face against the wall till one of them broke? Stopping his wish of burning his right hand at that very moment so at least he had a physical reminder in his body of his own weakness?

"I can't." Then a slight smile "I don't give up. That's my ninja way." Explained Sasuke remembering Naruto's usual words. He passed Kakashi without looking back. He was tired, his heart was heavy, but the steps he took were unyieldingly walking to his next destination.

Kakashi watched him leaving. He wished he could say something to him, but there was nothing he could say to reach Sasuke. His student needed someone he could emotionally cling to, but everyone like that was either dead or crippled. Itachi had done a good job.

Sasuke walked straight to the ANBU headquarters, where he wrote an application for joining.

* * *

* * *

I am sorry, this chapter took a long time to came out. Well, I think it's a nice quality chapter, so it's all right, isn't it?.

Last chapter brought a lot of discussion about if Itachi was or not too strong. There was somebody that said that didn't like god-like characters. Others said that there was no way Naruto could be killed by Itachi.

Well, let's take one look at the original source, the manga (yeah, that one that doesn't show a single hint of Shikamaru-Ino, or Kakashi-Iruka. Oh, well) The Third killed by himself 50 enemy shinobis. Probably jouninssince they were fighting a battle and had survived so far.He wasn't even hurt. One of Akatsuki's members almost destroyed the whole Sand Village. Itachi exterminated the Uchiha clan, the strongest of the Leaf by himself when he was **just 12**. When Sasuke found him, Itachi wasn't _even_ hurt. So, according to the original source, the manga, there are amazingly strong characters.

The point is: Itachi exterminated the strongest clan of the Leaf, one clan that took care of the protection of the Leaf Village when he was **12**. When he was 17 he beat Kakashi with insulting ease. The chapter in question happens three years later. Itachi would be 20. No matter how strong Naruto and Sasuke are, I _don't_ think they are strong enough to beat Itachi yet. True, Naruto and Sasuke have been training. However, it doesn't mean Itachi hasn't been training too. Also, I don't know if the Rasengan can be learnt by the Sharingan. However in my chapter Naruto used it constantly for hours against Itachi. The dumbest shinobi would be able to pick up one clue or two. Itachi is a genius.

Well, nothing like a friendly discussion to keep up the pace. What do you think of this chapter?


	27. Feelings of guilt

**27 Feelings of guilt**

_I shouldn't have created Gaara. Even my own wife was in disagreement with the idea. I should have killed him when I had the chance._

_Kazekage_

* * *

When Naruto dreamed about being a shinobi, he had dreamed of fighting hundreds and hundreds of enemy shinobis. He had never dreamt of fishing for _an hour_ so he could eat lunch _without catching anything_. Besides, it was damn hot! As soon as he becomes the next Hokage, he would issue an order for all fishes to...

In that moment Naruto felt a push from behind. The ground gave way. He yelled as he fell onto the water.

"What?" He screamed as he stood up in his feet in the water. There was a shinobi smiling in a mischievous way on the shore.

"Good shinobis must always be aware of the surroundings. They must never be caught in surprise. Control Earth and you will control Heaven." Explained Sasuke in a teaching-voice. It had taken years for the self-appointed Avenger to be able to even think about acting with mischief. However an amused smile was flying around his face now. Never really appearing, but never leaving either.

Naruto growled as he tried to walk to approach the shore. His orange suit was glued to his skin and its weight was pushing him down. Sasuke sighed. He gripped a twig and stretched his other hand to help the drenched Naruto to get out of the stream. He couldn't believe he had actually pushed Naruto. Doing such an unnecessary thing was very out of his character. He even thought to apolo...

"Uh?" That was everything Sasuke was able to mutter as Naruto grabbed his arm in surprise and pulled him into the water. Sasuke's grip of the twig wasn't strong enough against the sudden tug. Sasuke's eyes were widened in shock as he went flying straight into the river.

"YOU!" Sasuke yelled rising from the water.

"Good shinobis must always be aware of their surroundings. They must never be caught in... Control Heaven and you will control Earth" countered Naruto copying Sasuke's words, and mistaking them.

Sasuke had to hold a chuckle.

With the very typical and patented angry Uchiha stare, Sasuke stood up and started to walk towards Naruto.

"Uh? Sasuke, you aren't angry. Are you?"

"Naruto. I am Uchiha Sasuke, the last of the Uchiha clan. I have been living eight years as an Avenger. I don't forgive _anybody!"_ Yelled Sasuke splashing him with cold water.

Naruto hadn't expected the water, and he had to shake his eyes. He also heard a sound very unusual that somehow made his heart flutter.

It was Sasuke's laugh, packed with genuine glee. It was a happy sound.

"I am going to be the future Hokage! I will not lose to anybody" yelled a very happy Naruto splashing Sasuke with water.

"You idiots! You are going to catch a cold! Get back NOW!" yelled Sakura from the camp.

Sasuke and Naruto smiled to each other as they started to walk towards the shore. They were going to apologize to her... and push her into the water as soon as she was...

Sasuke abruptly remembered... How did he know that? This particular scene... Didn't it happen already? Just before the Jounin exams?

He turned around to ask Naruto, but only his body was there. His head had disappeared. Sasuke shook his head and looked at it again. The headless body was still. Naruto's head was floating. His dead eyes were staring at him.

"It's your fault" the bodiless head said. Sasuke recoiled in horror.

"Sakura! Kakashi! Naruto is...!" Yelled Sasuke looking to the camp. Sakura was glaring at him suddenly missing an eye. The empty spot where the eye was supposed to be was crying in red tears. Kakashi was staring at him with Mangekyou Sharingan eyes.

"It's your fault" said Kakashi sounding like Itachi.

"What the?" Asked Sasuke in strangled voice. He felt the headless Naruto getting closer repeating over and over behind him.

"It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault."

Sasuke fell on his knees in the river. The water was now covering his whole body, including his head. Funny enough, he wasn't drowning. He could still breath... and hear the accusations of Kakashi and Naruto. He stood up, only to see that the empty spot was growing, swallowing Sakura.

"SAKURA!" Sasuke yelled running towards the shore. He tried to concentrate chakra in his feet for jumping, but somehow his chakra control was off. Sasuke ran desperately trying to somehow save Sakura

He reached her when the nothingness had swallowed most of her face. Only the mouth was left. Yet she managed to say something.

"It's your fault."

It was that moment Sasuke started drowning. Breath was not coming to his lungs. Sasuke fell on his knees, trying to reach for Sakura, Naruto, Kakashi, his family, his brother... anybody. However nobody was there. Everyone was dead. It was his fault, after all, because he was weak. If he didn't have strength, he didn't have anything.

* * *

Sakura woke up in the hospital. She rolled her head to the side to see someone's head on the bed beside her. Black hair? Sasuke!

She smiled softly. She moved her arm with a bit of effort. She gently slid her fingers into his hair trying to awake him.

It was a startling awakening. Sakura saw him opening violently his eyes. He looked at her with a fearful expression. He started to look around for somebody else. Sakura knew whom he was looking for.

He squeezed his eyes closed for a few seconds gritting his teeth with a haunted expression. She could see all the hurt and self-loathing in his face. He finally opened his eyes and he managed a smile, raising his face to look at her.

"Sorry, I fell asleep. How are you doing?" Said Sasuke with a big smile. Sakura wondered why he was apologizing. Was sleeping a sin?

"I'm doing fine. How are _you_ doing?" Asked Sakura. She could see Sasuke was far paler and gaunter than she was, and _she_ was the one hospitalized.

"Great." He looked at her as if he were surprised by the question. "Seriously Sakura, when are you going to stop asking the same question over and over?"

"When you tell me the truth" Sakura answered looking with her left eye straight at his eyes.

Sasuke closed his eyes shaking his head, with a smile. The expression was probably trying to be one of amusement. However while the _smile_ was one of amusement, the rest of the face somehow was not. Sakura frowned.

"You should concentrate on recovery. Team 7 is lonely with just Kakashi and me. As soon as you are better you can join us again." Assured Sasuke with a confident smile.

"Being realistic, I don't think I'll ever be able to join up with you guys again." Said Sakura.

Pause. Sasuke wavered for a second as if he had been hit. Just for a second.

"You are being too pessimistic. I think..." Sasuke continued on talking, with exactly the same confident smile as before.

"Without my right eye I'm weaker at taijutsu. My left hand was crushed in the fight against Itachi. My speed for making seals has decreased. It's going to take me a lot of rehab to be able to take my former speed. I know you have been trying to get me a prosthetic leg. Again, rehab is going to take me a lot of time. Even when rehab is finished I'm going to be less dependable than before. Besides, I don't even think the Leaf will let me be a shinobi like before."

"Don't be an idiot." Pleaded Sasuke." It will be a little long, but..."

"You would never trust _any_ team-member in my condition. Listen, I don't like to lie to myself. It's not that I'm not going to be a shinobi anymore. But it's going to be really hard to reach the level I used to have."

Sasuke had always been very composed. He didn't even appear bothered. He was quite good at hiding his feelings.

Sakura stretched her hand to caress his hand, when he instinctively snatched away his hand. After a few surprised seconds, he smiled and took hold of her hand.

This time it was Sakura who pulled away her hand.

"Sasuke, please leave. I am tired. I need to sleep" She said.

"OK." He said without making any objections like he usually did. He leaned on her and kissed her cheek, staying the farthest apart from the place where her missing eye used to be. Now there was only a bandage there. He left.

Sakura knew Sasuke would just lean on the door outside and wait until the nurse threw him out when the time for visits was over. She had noticed that Sasuke had never kissed her in her lips since she had been injured. Sakura frowned. Sasuke could be accused (and had been accused many times) of multiple things. However he had never been a liar. _She_ was making him a liar now. For two weeks he had been coming to visit her every day. He was showing a relaxed face with her and was making small talks, which something he usually hated to do. However he always appeared more tired and the bags in his eyes were only growing larger. Still he dodged all her questions always.

He was trying his best to comfort her, but he was the one suffering the most. Usually she could encourage him to talk to her, but she couldn't anymore. She was very worried about him, but she didn't know how to help him.

She tightened her hand into a fist until she felt her nails leaving marks on her flesh.

"Damn you, Itachi!" She muttered. His rotten brother-in-law was hurting the person she loved. Itachi had cut the connection she and Sasuke had built over the last three years. She didn't know how to repair it, or even if it could be fixed.

* * *

Sasuke took another combat pill to fight the sleep. Next he lit another cigarette and started quickly to smoke it before anybody could order him to put it out. He was running out of dead people to smoke.

He took a long drag and sighed. Sakura was too perceptive, as always. It was true. Team 7 was finished. Naruto was dead. Sakura's days as field shinobi were over. Hell, after that fake Kakashi had appeared, he couldn't even trust Kakashi anymore.

However that way of thinking was not positive for recovery. Sakura _had_ to get better.

"Damn it!" He said.

* * *

Kakashi looked at Sakura as she walked with her new crutches. Her eyes did not have the usual shine and her mouth had a semi-permanent frown. It still hurt him every time he saw her, although Sasuke was having a far harder time because of survivor's guilt

"It's really helpful that tradition says that funerals can be held long after the person dies" was commenting Sakura. "When I was a kid I used to think that it was silly. It makes sense if you consider that many times shinobis are not in the village but doing missions for the village and need time to come back. We even have people coming from Sand Country, or from Wave Country."

"Sakura. Why didn't you ask Sasuke to accompany you to the funeral?" Asked out of the blue Kakashi.

"I didn't want to ask him. I wanted him to go for himself. If I ask him, he will go but that's not his will and I would feel like I was forcing him. I want him to go for himself."

"Are you sure he will go?"

Sakura raised her eye brusquely.

"What do you mean? Of course he is going! It's Naruto's funeral! There is no way Sasuke is going to miss it!"

Kakashi looked away. Sakura swore under her breath

"Kakashi. How _is_ Sasuke doing? Please, don't lie to me. I need to know the truth. He won't tell me anything."

Kakashi wondered to himself how he could tell her the truth. Well, Sakura, you see. Do you remember how Sasuke used to be? Wasn't he always alone and afraid to make relationships with anyone? Don't worry Sakura. He is not like before. He is much worse. He has been training non-stop not for hours for days. And I really mean _non-stop_. Would you like to know his daily schedule? He trains non-stop all night until it's time to visit you in the morning. He takes a shower then visits you with that fake relaxed smile. After that he goes to train until it's time to visit you in the evening. Then he goes training again all night. Now, you are wondering when he sleeps. Ok. He doesn't. He survives thanks to combat pills that he has been taking constantly for not sleeping. Hai, now he is a pill junkie. Did you mention that he fell asleep yesterday? Well, that's great! That's the second nap he had taken in two weeks! What about eating? Well, have you noticed that for the last two weeks Sasuke has been losing weight? Well, he doesn't really eat normal food anymore. He _hunts_. He hunts and eats the food of the animals he hunts. I guess it's because he wants constant training. His training is being quite brutal, by the way. Leaf Country is named after the great number of trees, right? Well, I hope you can calm him down before he changes that. Sixty-three trees has been down and counting. Did I mention about the fights? He has been constantly getting into brawls. Of course, all proof show that it was always self-defense. How do I know all this? That's because the ANBU has been keeping a constant watch on him. Top-notch guys this time, just in case he wants to run away from us again to Orochimaru. We are very concerned with his mental state. I mean, how long can _anybody_ be without sleeping? We are afraid he just may fall down dead any time.

"Sasuke is feeling a little guilty, that's all" was all what actually Kakashi said.

* * *

Still one hour to Naruto's funeral, Sasuke noticed. He shrugged, as he continued running and pounding on the broken boulder. He finally stopped

"Your killing intent is giving you away" he warned.

Nobody answered. Then from behind another boulder a person appeared. Sasuke looked at that person. He gasped. It was a shinigami, dressed totally in black, and with skin of the color of white, like a corpse.

Sasuke closed his eyes and shook his head. He opened them again. It was just Hinata, totally dressed in black and an expression of hate.

"I love your new style" he said.

Hinata glared at him.

"You shouldn't do anything you are going to regret in the future. Naruto's funeral is going to be very soon. You shouldn't miss it." Sasuke recommended.

"What for? Naruto's body its not there. You chopped it off remember?" She said nastily.

"Of course I do." Answered Sasuke looking to the floor. He kind of preferred the old shy Hinata who would cry and cry to no end for the death of Naruto. At least that one would not bother him. "What are you going to do about it? Just staying still and regretting?"

After a pause, Hinata said with a very slow voice

"I want revenge."

"Do you understand what you are wishing for?" Asked Sasuke. "Itachi is a real demon. When he was far younger than us he was already strong enough to destroy the strongest clan of the Leaf. The Uchiha clan was entrusted with the protection of the Leaf Village and formed the bulk of the Police Force. Yet, they were worthless against my brother."

"I don't care."

"If you become an Avenger, you will to have desperately search for power. Revenge is just an empty cup with a bitter taste. There will be very few people that even will try to appreciate it. Nobody will truly understand you. And of course, nobody will support you. You will be all alone in your quest. People will try to stop you. They will call your dream a "dangerous obsession" You must be ready to leave your friends, your family and your home. You will have to become an evil spirit hated by all, loved by very few, if any. You will have to destroy all the doubts in your heart. Every second that you are not training or preparing your revenge, your heart will be in pain. Finally, if you happen to succeed, you will only have blood in your hands, blood that will never wash off. Are you prepared for that?"

"Hai" Hinata said. There was no doubt in her voice.

"In that case" Said Sasuke opening his arms as if he was to hug Hinata "Kill me."

"WHAT?" Asked Hinata.

"If you are truly committed to the path of revenge, you must kill me. I am the one responsible for the death of Naruto, anyway. I was too weak to save him." Long breadth "If you kill me you will become an outlaw. That way your path will be set. You won't be able to run away. My brother will also hear about my death. Maybe he will concede you a few seconds of his time to kill you. Are you ready to harden your heart and kill me?"

Hinata didn't move for a few seconds. Her hand went swiftly to her back. Sasuke didn't lower his arms. Hinata doubted for a few seconds. Then she glared at him with an expression of hate. She grabbed a kunai and launched it to the ground. After glaring angrily at him one more time, she ran away.

Sasuke sighed as he picked up the kunai. If his reverse psychology didn't work, Hinata was going to going to go through a rollercoaster of bitterness and pain.

"Is dying your way of feeling alive? Or is it just for atonement?" Asked a new voice.

Sasuke raised his eyes. There was someone on top of the tree watching him with open hostility.

"The only way of atonement for a shinobi is the way of the blood." Sasuke said "I don't know or care how long it's going to take. I don't care about the sacrifices I am going to suffer. I am going to kill _that man_."

The person glared at him without saying anything. Finally he nodded, very slowly.

"Don't do it" warned Sasuke "_That man_ is too strong. Even for someone like you."

"Maybe" said Gaara of the Sand, Kazekage of the Village of the Sand "but not trying is a sin."

Sasuke smiled sadly.

"I'll see you in hell then."

Gaara nodded as the sand carried him to the ground.

"As you said, you shouldn't do anything you are going to regret in the future. Are you sure you don't want to go the ceremony?" He inquired

Sasuke closed his eyes for a second. Exhaustion was trying to reach him again. He searched his pocket for another combat pill.

"Please, don't repeat my sentences. The person who used to do that is dead. I should know that," Sasuke's eyes turned red "since I cut him to pieces."

Sasuke turned to the boulder planning on continuing training.

"I don't know if this is good or bad, or even if it means anything" said Gaara. Wind started to move, stirring the sand around him. "But I have never been able to care about the people that I have killed or have died because of me" The sand covered him for a second, and then he was gone.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night" commented Sasuke taking the combat pill. He immediately felt the rush of adrenaline. He closed his eyes, feeling the need to sleep disappearing. He opened them... only to see from the corner of his eye a slight unexpected movement on the ground. Sasuke brusquely turned around.

"What the...?" There was nothing on the ground, just his shadow. However he could swear he had seen something... his shadow had changed without any movement from him and there were no clouds on the sky...

Sasuke shrugged. Probably it's his imagination or a trick of the light.

Probably…

* * *

* * *

And here is the next chapter. Expect the next chapter hopefully soon. Everyone is welcome to send a review and to give your opinions

Since we are here, I wanted to explain something. There are some that have expressed their doubts about two 12-year-old marrying. That's true, that's very unlikely in our society and in our time.

However, since the story of Naruto is situated in another society and time, rules may change. As an example, a marriagefor so youngin Japan in the 16th century (ripe time for the real shinobis) wasn't exactly common but still not unheard of.

Well, anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Please send all the reviews you want. I love hearing from the people that read the story


	28. Breaking Down

I am sorry, but I made some grammatical mistakes that I wanted to correct so this is version 2. Also, I received one email from one reviewer that said that he read this chapter on Sunday and he couldn't review it. I don't know if that happened to anybody else. If it did, please be free to write the review now. And if you hadn't written a review yet, you can write one, of course. Thank you.

* * *

**Chapter 28 Breaking down**

"_Many times, shinobis that have a reputation of being tough are the first ones that crack under torture. It's usually the ones that seem weak that the ones that have the strongest inner strength. It doesn't really matter. All of them eventually break. We have our ways.And they are _very_ effective"_

Morino Ibiki

* * *

Tsunade, the current Hokage of the Leaf, glanced from the podium at all the people that were gathered for Naruto's funeral: Sakura with her new crutches and Kakashi who looked older than ever were at the front. Most of Naruto's old classmates, including Hinata far in the back, were there. Naruto's old teachers like Iruka were there. Even the grandson of the Third was attending with his two teammates. The Kazekage, Gaara of the Sand, was supposed to be present, however he was missing.

While the Hokage prepared for the speech, she wished the whole village were present. However the person that was responsible for his death was not present.

"What is the purpose of our attending on this memorial today?" She started. "It is to commemorate this brave soul who died to protect the village. Naruto sacrificed his precious life to protect the Leaf..."

* * *

"Yoshi, Masaharu, what are you guys doing here?" Hyuga Asano inquired.

The other two Hyugas looked at the newcomer.

"Hey, did you receive a challenge letter too?" Masaharu checked.

"Hai. You too? Oh, man. Three challenge letters at the same time. Somebody is up for a beating."

"There is something weird going on" Yoshi commented. "The handwriting in the three letters is different."

"My, my, my. What a great surprise seeing all three of you here!" A fourth person said with the sweetest smile.

* * *

"I am talking about precious lives" The Hokage continued "Everyone, although life is dear, Naruto's sacrifice tells us that there is a precious objective more important than life of an individual. What is this precious objective more important than life? Naruto's death was beautiful, because he sacrificed himself for a greater purpose. He was a real warrior. We all have to right to live out happy lives, but the chosen ones give up this right, going off to a battlefield to accomplish their share for the Leaf..."

"You are the Uchiha." Hyuga Yoshi uttered with hostility.

"It's Uchiha-_san_ for you." Uchiha Sasuke informed with an arrogant smirk. "I still remember three years ago when the three of you beat me up at _exactly_ this place. Remember? It was after your _idiotic_ leader had the _very stupid_ plan of me marrying Hinata. Isn't it weird to find you three here? It's incredible how many _coincidences_ happen everyday!"

"What are you talking about? Weren't you the one that send us the challenge letters?"

"Me?" Sasuke repeated with a sarcastic grin. "Are you kidding? Last time we fought I was just a genin, you guys were chuunins and still I managed to score a few hits. Now I am a jounin and only two of you managed to get to jounin status. I could beat you in less than ten seconds if I want to."

The three Hyugas darted a short glance to each other. They surrounded Sasuke

"Hey, hey, hey. Come on guys." Sasuke pleaded opening his arms _far too much_ and leaving himself _far too wide_ open. The confident smirk still hadn't disappeared. "Grow up. We live in a world that has learned to solve problems by talking. You can't solve everything by fighting. If somebody throws and insult, you should..."

Sasuke never got to finish the sentence as the Hyugas jumped on him.

* * *

"Yes, the answer is just as I have stated: Naruto, as so many shinobis, spilled his blood in defense of the Leaf. Isn't such a noble goal worth death? To live for one self or die for one self is so insignificant! I cannot tell you to behave as cowards. In the end, the shinobi way is to be a disposable tool for the good of the village. Everyone must think what you can do for your village before thinking about yourselves…"

* * *

After ten full minutes Sasuke finally fell down to the ground. He had tried to avoid them and to block the attacks. He hadn't tried to defend himself or to run away from the fight.

"You are _weak_!" Hyuga Asano mocked kicking the fallen Sasuke in the chin. Sasuke fell heavily against the wall.

"Well, you guys aren't bad at all" Sasuke admitted bleeding from multiple minor wounds. He closed his eyes to fight the dizziness. He thought that he should have taken a combat pill before staging the situation to provoke the fight. Lately his reflexes were off whenever he wasn't having the adrenaline boosts. "I guess these injuries already count as self-defense. Don't they?" There was a dangerous smile on Sasuke.

Masaharu, the only chuunin of the three, was the one that had hit Sasuke the less. He looked carefully at the young Uchiha jounin.

«Could it be...? » He asked himself. Realization dawned on him. It made sense. First the three challenge letters with different handwriting. Next, the Uchiha bastard suddenly had appeared and induced them to start a fight. Finally the Uchiha letting them hit him... This fucking Uchiha had manipulated them to start the fight! What for?

«Damn» He thought as he started to make seals. Reasons didn't matter. He was going to kill the bastard and claim it as a terrible accident.

Yoshi tried to hit Sasuke again. Sasuke blocked the kick and hit Yoshi's crotch with a violent upward kick. As Yoshi with an expression of absolute pain fell, Asano made his move. He tried to make a punch to Sasuke's neck. Sasuke read the pattern, avoided the assault for very little and punched Asano with a well placed punch between the eyes.

However Sasuke didn't have time to avoid the third member of the trio. He turned around but he wasn't fast enough as he felt Masaharu's finger moving too swift and touching his forehead.

He screamed at the top of his lungs as he felt himself falling into a bottomless pit... multitude of images and noises invading his brain. All of them related to death.

Masaharu smiled as Sasuke fell to the floor. He smiled even more widely as Sasuke's face made a strong sound as it smashed against the ground. One instant later Sasuke did a somersault and hit Masaharu with his leg.

Masaharu was falling down when Sasuke moved on top on him and punched him with a finishing blow in the head.

"Is that the best genjutsu you have?" Sasuke mocked "Compared to Tsukuyomi, your technique is not even a bad dream."

Masaharu tried to stand but collapsed.

"Head Trauma. I think you are down for today" Sasuke explained. He raised his eyes. Yoshi and Asano were looking at him with bloodshot eyes. Especially Yoshi, who had an expression of _great_ pain.

"Thanks for all the fun I'm going to have." Sasuke said with a smile.

* * *

"Life is dear, but I would like all of you to remember deep inside your heart the fact that our village is worthy of sacrificing your lives. We are fighting for justice. Everyone must perform your duty with your utmost efforts, unhesitatingly sacrificing yourselves. In this world the most revered act is sacrifice and martyrdom, the most shameful cowardice and self-interests. Whenever you feel pain or fear, whenever you feel like giving up, remember Naruto; remember that he died as a hero." Stated the Hokage finishing the speech.

There was a somber silence as the Hokage stood down from the podium. Every one took a moment to reflect on the words. Sakura thought that Naruto would hate that speech. She looked around. Sasuke was still not there.

* * *

Yoshi tried to get up for the umpteenth time, but his legs refused to move. He was pushed against the wall when Sasuke shoved him. He tried to counterattack but Sasuke violently punched again. There was some loud noise as his nose broke. Sasuke raised his fist again, but after a few seconds he put it down. Everything was too absurd. Naruto's funeral was probably already over.

Sasuke carefully moved away from the three bodies. All of them were battered but alive. He swore when he noticed he had those idiots's blood on him.

He was starting to walk away and his hand was going for another combat pill, when he saw it again: A shape around his shadow out of the corner of his vision. When he turned his head to focus on it, it was gone.

Sasuke sighed and walked away. It would be annoying if he were going crazy so soon. Although in a way it would be a certain release... No, scratch that. He wasn't going to stop so soon.

At least for now.

* * *

"I got into a fight" Was all the explanation Sasuke gave when Sakura asked him why didn't he go to the funeral. He skillfully dodged all her other questions and he hurriedly left her presence. It was the first time the nurses didn't have to throw him out of the hospital. Sasuke paid that fact no mind. He had more important things to do: He had to train. He had to be stronger and kill his brother. The people he had the duty to avenge had increased by one.

Three days later he missed going to visit Sakura for the first time. The next day Sasuke and Sakura got into a fight because Sakura had found out about Sasuke's application for the ANBU. Both of them had gotten into discussions before. However, that was the first time they had raised their voices so much to each other. Sasuke left angrily and didn't return the following day.

The day after that he found somebody blocking his way to the training area.

"What can I do for you, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke's voice and tone were formal.

"Do I need permission to talk to my student?" Kakashi replied with a question of his own, walking towards him.

Sasuke shrugged and kept walking at the same pace. Kakashi trailed along. He carefully watched his student. He had seen corpses more animated.

"How have you been sleeping lately? You know that sleep is very important. A high-ranked shinobi lacking concentration or endurance would die quickly in the front-line."

"I don't think I could beat you at a Go game. However fights are usually much faster. It's just a matter of minutes before someone winds up dead." Sasuke said. His expression didn't change while he spoke, Kakashi noticed. It was just the lips that were moving.

"I heard you applied for ANBU admission." Kakashi chatted hoping to somehow reestablish the broken bridges "Have you thought about what animal you want? Personally I'd say you would look good with a wolf mask..."

"I am going to be a demon." Sasuke interrupted. "Wolves are beings that can't live alone. They travel in packs. They care about their families. Demons are solitary beings, bent on destruction. I think it's more fitting for me. I have already ordered the mask."

"Aren't you overconfident? It's not that easy to be selected to be ANBU" Kakashi commented.

Sasuke didn't stop but looked at him.

"You mean you really don't know?" Sasuke inquired.

"What?" Asked Kakashi. Suddenly he had a bad feeling.

"I have already been admitted to the ANBU. The order came this morning."

"Eh? Without any selection process? Sasuke, what did you do?"

"That's the most interesting part" Sasuke commented slowly "I didn't do anything. The Hokage decided on her own to select me for the ANBU. Since I don't have any friendly relation with the Hokage, I guess I should be worried about her decision."

"You are not ready yet to join the ANBU" Kakashi affirmed.

"Maybe. But that's something I have to do." Sasuke finally stopped. He turned around. "I cannot and do not regret the decisions I made or that I'm going to have to do. I am firm on that. What I do regret are the ripples that these decisions have made in the direction of my loved ones. I would die to eliminate those ripples, but it doesn't work that way."

Sasuke resumed his walking. However when Kakashi made a swift move behind him he brusquely turned around with his body automatically taking a defense position.

"At least your reflexes are still working." Kakashi mentioned holding one bell.

"Take one bell and you will pass? That was a long time ago. I'm not..."

"Maybe the trees are more satisfactory?" Kakashi mocked. "Or maybe you are too sleepy for fighting a real shinobi?"

Sasuke glared at his teacher. Kakashi lowered his headband. Sasuke's humor worsened considerably when he saw the sharingan. It took Sasuke less than one second to decide his course of action.

"If you don't attack me with the intent to kill you won't get the bells" Kakashi warned.

Sasuke started a zig-zag pattern to confuse Kakashi. At one point he rushed straight at his sensei after launching six shurikens to throw him off balance. Kakashi managed to avoid them with some difficulty and faced off Sasuke.

They fought Kunai against kunai, bone against bone. Kakashi had expected Sasuke's direct attack to be just a decoy to distract him because his real objective would be the bells.

However Kakashi soon understood that there was a new ferocity in Sasuke that wasn't there before. Sasuke's fighting style had always been practical with no ornamentation; effective and yet intense. Astonishing expertise even when he was younger. It had never been brutal and wild like now. It was supposed to be a practice match, but Kakashi could feel Sasuke's burning intent to kill.

Both kunais collided, both shinobis pushing. Sasuke screamed as he moved his body forward. Kakashi saw Sasuke's grimace of hate as his middle and index fingers moved straight to his eyes.

Kakashi leaped backwards. He adopted a defense position, under Sasuke's cold eyes. The young Uchiha threw unhurriedly something to him. Kakashi was flabbergasted. It was a bell! He checked his belt. His bell was gone. When did he...?

Sasuke was panting. He glanced at the ground and got pale. Kakashi looked at the ground but didn't see anything.

"That was a nice decoy attack" Kakashi finally complimented "You really looked serious so I was distracted enough to lower my guard. Nice job." Kakashi knew that his student blamed him because the spy had used his form to trick former Team 7 into a trap. Even if Sasuke's conscious mind knew that Kakashi wasn't at fault, the subconscious mind didn't agree. He wondered if Sasuke had gone for the bells or for his life. He wondered if Sasuke had actually tried to kill him.

"You taught me a lot of good things, sensei." Sasuke declared still staring at the ground, more specifically at his shadow, with a strange expression. "You taught me about fighting, about teamwork, about chakra control and about the sharingan, among other very good things. But now I have to learn how to kill. I have seen too much death already. Now I have to choose to embrace death as a way of life."

"You don't know what you are asking for. The scent of death will follow you forever."

"Maybe. But that's my choice. I have to learn how to become a death-giver." Sasuke explained.

There was a long pause. Both student and sensei felt that the connection that used to be between them was lost. Sasuke had been feeling that way a lot recently.

"Well, what if I invite you to something to eat to celebrate your improvement?" Kakashi questioned "I don't think your meals are very healthy. I'll treat you with some food fit for humans. If you only eat hunted food when you fall down from exhaustion my teaching ability might be questioned.

"I don't have much appetite." Long Pause. Sasuke's expression turned weary. "Sensei, all the people that I've ever loved or cared about are either dead or worse. You are the only one unaffected so far, so…" Sasuke's expression turned taut again "from now on stop butting on my affairs."

Sasuke left to continue training. Kakashi saw his lonely and lost student leaving. He thought back on a certain day, back in the days of flaming youth, as Gai used to say. The day Team 7 had been created. Out of its three members, Naruto was dead, Sakura was permanently injured and Sasuke was emotionally crippled.

Kakashi started to run. He didn't stop till he reached the Strategy Division.

"Kakashi, do you have an appoint...?" Shizune started to ask.

Kakashi didn't stop to answer. He barged inside the Hokage's office leaving Tsunade's assistant wondering why nobody paid any attention to her.

"Hokage-sama! Why did you let Sasuke join the ANBU? He is about to break down!"

"And nice to see you too" Tsunade answered looking from a long pile of papers and leaning on the chair. "I think we better forget about your polite way of entering unannounced and without an appointment. What's the deal with Sasuke _now_?"

"Hokage-sama, Sasuke's self-control is as precarious as a man standing trembling on a thin wire over a precipice. He can't join the ANBU right now. He is under too much strain."

"So?" Tsunade wondered aloud as her finger rattled against the table.

"So? Any ANBU mission for him now would be certain death!"

"I am not going to waste my time worrying about that "Avenger". Because of him Naruto is dead and one of our most promising chuunins is off-combat probably forever. Attacking two S-level criminals of great power when he is just a recently appointed jounin was a grave error of judgment. Personal vendettas have no place in the Leaf."

"Relocating him in the ANBU is some kind of punishment then?"

"Sasuke is the one that requested to join the ANBU. If he breaks down in the way... well." Tsunade shrugged "That was everything he was then. It will be his own fault for trying to become like his brother. The sharingan is an asset for the village but Sasuke is starting to be too much of a liability. In the end shinobis are just tools. Sasuke keeps forgetting that. "

"Tsunade-sama." Kakashi said very carefully "Are you sure you aren't letting your own personal feelings get in the way?"

"If I were to let my "personal feelings get in the way", Sasuke would have suffered a sad and terrible accident already. If Sasuke can't function on the Leaf he has to be disposed of." Tsunade countered. "Besides, you perfectly know the reason why Sasuke may be dangerous for the Leaf in the future, or even dangerous for _you_."

"Yes" Kakashi admitted. "I still remember it."

Kakashi wordlessly left, leaving Tsunade alone in the room. She sighed. Being the leader was sometimes very lonely.

* * *

Sasuke was standing in front of the hospital where Sakura was. In a few hours she was finally getting the prosthetic leg.

He should be with her. He had even asked official leave for personal reasons. It had been rejected. He was leaving for his first mission for the ANBU in a few minutes.

At least he should talk to her for the few minutes he had left, shouldn't he? The truth was he didn't dare to see her. He far preferred risking his life in A-missions or even S-missions than watching her and her wounds again.

At that moment Sasuke saw it again: His shadow changing shape for no logical reason. He scratched his back while he saw the new shadow doing the same. The new shape looked _exactly_ like _Itachi's_ shadow.

He was so focused on the shadow that he didn't notice that the part of his back that he was scratching was exactly the part where Orochimaru's seal was.

Sasuke shrugged, covered his face with the demon mask, and prepared to follow Leaf's commands, leaving Sakura's hospital behind.

In another part of the Leaf, a young girl called Hinata was doing the same.

* * *

* * *

Well, here is chapter 28th of the story. I hope are liking it. I'm very sorry for taking so long for writing this chapter. I'll try to write the next one as soon as possible. I would like to thank a good friend of mine, E.Cherry, that is really helping me **_A LOT_** with this story. If it wasn't for her the story would suffer. So, E.Cherry, from here I would like to thank you again for your patience with me.

Well, I hope you like the quality of my story. I'm striving to give you a good reading experience. If you would like to comment on anything, please write me some feedback.

In this chapter I dealed with how would the different characters would react to Naruto's death. Next chapter will bring the darker aspects of the ANBU with Hinata and Sasuke, as well as the future of the relationship between Sakura and Sasuke. I hope you will like it.


	29. Joining the ANBU

**Chapter 29 Joining the ANBU**

"_The ANBU are the offensive and the defensive force of the Leaf Village. Originally they were entrusted only with military operations outside the village. However when the Uchiha clan, which comprised the bulk of the Police, were exterminated, the ANBU took the chance. They convinced the Third to dissolve the Police force and let the ANBU take charge of the defense of the Village. Only the strongest and most able can join the ANBU, as they are the true elite of the Leaf."_

Leaf History book

"_Only those in love with death can join the ANBU"_

Anonymous graffiti.

* * *

Motomiya Kei firmly believed that every good lunch with friends should obligatorily have strong liquor. He had drunk too much today. He staggered toward the bathroom located on the back of the bar. He grinned in relief as he started doing the second most pleasurable activity known to man.

The first thing that told Kei that something was wrong was the hand that covered his mouth. He never saw the knife as it went through his back to strike a vital point. Death was almost instantaneous. The next nineteen strikes were hardly as effective. Three of them didn't even count as a serious wound. Still, they were necessary to make it look like an amateur's job.

Motomiya Kei, married with two children, respected journalist, fell down dead into a pool of his own blood. His killer took the wallet of the body lying on the floor and left the knife. Of course he was wearing gloves. The only fingerprints that were on the knife were from the brother of Kei, Motomiya Anosu. Both brothers had fought recently.

The police would think it was a robbery when they found body. If they looked hard enough they would find that the fingerprints matched those of Kei's brother. Anosu wasn't going to have any alibi. He had spent the whole day with his girlfriend. However, if interrogated, his girlfriend was going to say that she had spent the whole day with her sick mother.

Two other ANBU that were on the lookout on a nearby table raised their voices to each other and stood up like if they were going to have a fight as soon as the killer was going to step out of the bathroom. Excited with the prospect of watching a fight, all the clients of the bar turned their heads toward the two ANBU. Sasuke slipped outside the toilet without anybody noticing, blending with the shadows but using a fake form just in case. He and the rest of the ANBU had left the city half an hour later. They met seven kilometres away from the city in the assigned place under the soft rain.

Sasuke was looking at the ground, until he noticed that the floor was wet with red. He raised his eyes. Indeed, according to his eyes the rain that was falling down was a rain of blood.

He looked around. The other ANBU didn't seem to notice. That probably meant that he was suffering another illusion due to lack of sleep. They were increasing. They were increasing too fast.

"Mission accomplished." Were Green Snake's the first words as soon as everybody assembled." Nice job all. Red Demon, it took you too long to dispose of the target. You put the whole operation in danger. Don't take that long next time."

"Order acknowledged." Sasuke, codenamed Red Demon because of his ANBU mask, replied. It was true that he doubted too much in the moment of killing. He wondered again why all the team leaders always used "dispose" instead of "kill" or "target" instead of the name of the victim… Crap! He was getting distracted again!

"Why did we have to kill that man?" Little Mouse inquired. Sasuke immediately felt the ground opening under him. Why was Little Mouse always making trouble? She was supposed to be shy! Shy, dammit!

"That was our mission. That target had discovered some secret information about black-ops of the ANBU. The information leak had to be purged." Snake explained helpfully. "Besides, you don't need to know the reasons."

"I still don't like it." Little Mouse objected.

"You are a soldier now. You belong to the ANBU. The moment you put on the mask you stop being a human being. You become a machine bound to follow Leaf's commands. Is that _clear_?"

"Crystal clear Sir. But I still don't like it." Little Mouse repeated.

"Pure white can't mix with blood and stay pure. Maybe you don't belong to the ANBU." Green Snake commented. He turned towards the rest of the team ignoring Little Mouse "We will stay around just in case there is something to clean up." He handed Sasuke a scroll "Red Demon, go where to the place indicated in the scroll. You are teaming up with another team for another mission. It's an important one, so don't screw up."

"Just me again?" Red Demon questioned raising an eyebrow. Pity his gesture couldn't be seen since he was wearing a mask.

"Apparently you have friends in high places. Less than two months in the ANBU and already you have completed thirteen important missions!" Another ANBU observed with very little friendliness

"I don't have any friends in high places" Sasuke retorted.

"You don't have any friends, period." Green Snake pointed out with a hidden smirk.

Sasuke didn't bother to answer. He was too busy trying to read the scroll. He had trouble reading because the words seemed to dance. For the last two months, since Naruto's death, he had barely slept. The good part was that he felt numb. He wasn't assaulted by any memory of either Naruto or his parents anymore. Actually, he sometimes even forgot about Kakashi or Sakura. One week ago in the middle of another mission he hadn't been able to remember his name for a few minutes.

Sasuke waited until the ANBU disappeared and only then he took another combat pill. Immediately he felt the rush of adrenaline. His attention became focused and he was able to read, memorizing the new meeting place. As long as he kept taking the pills his combat competence didn't decrease. The frequency when he needed to take the combat pills even for everyday activities was increasing too much though. He was down to thirty combat pills a day and there were suggestions of cold turkey after some time without taking them.

Sasuke's trail of thoughts was cut short when he felt somebody leaning against his back. Damn! His awareness capabilities were decreasing exponentially!

"Anything to report Little Mouse?"

"Please, don't call me that. Say my real name before I forget it." Little Mouse pleaded with a weak voice, still leaning against him.

"Regulations say that it's forbidden to say the real name until the..."

"Please" She pleaded with a voice weaker and weaker.

Sasuke sighed. Why women never _ever_ left him alone?

"Your real name is Hinata, formerly from the Hyuga clan" He explained. Hinata hugged him. Sasuke immediately stiffened as if a barrel of explosives was hugging him.

"Are we doing the right thing?" She wondered aloud "Is this what Naruto would have liked? Is revenge the right answer to our pain?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. He remembered back to the time when he had decided to become hunter instead of becoming the hunted. He had had some doubts at the beginning. He had hardened his heart since those days.

"This is a life I don't wish on anybody. You will suffer as long as you have doubts. Kill me and your doubts will be gone." He declared, using his old trick of reverse psychology. He had the opinion that Hinata could not survive the fool's quest that was revenge.

"… Maybe I'll do that." She mumbled slowly "Maybe I'll kill you."

At that very moment Sasuke remembered that he hadn't checked Hinata's hands before she had hugged him. He violently pulled away.

Her hands were empty.

Both ANBU exchanged glances, and even under their masks, he could feel her hopelessness that mirrored his own. He knew he had made a very stupid mistake. Under her current state she could very well kill him.

"_Little Mouse, Are you a virgin?" Snake had inquired. It had been Hinata's third mission. It had been Sasuke's tenth mission already._

"_Hai" Hinata had responded. Grave mistake._

"_That's perfect. We are going to need you for our next mission."_

_Hinata, a person that was having a lot of trouble to adapt of the harsh reality of the life of the ANBU, looked for help at the only person in the ANBU team that he could trust. Sasuke didn't even look at her. He was too busy trying to stop the shaking of the hand to light a cigarette._

* * *

After the Kazekage Gaara of the Sandhad mysteriously disappeared with his two brothers, there were many candidates for the vacant post. Different countries secretly supported one or another candidate. The Hokage wanted the Sand to keep the alliance with the Leaf and she was worried about the Anti-Leaf faction: Sand shinobis that considered that the Leaf had too much influence in Sand affairs.

Azuma Tetsuya was one of the aspirants of the anti-Leaf faction with more possibilities of becoming the new Kazekage. To protect himself from other contenders he hid in his mansion with his loyal guards.

That moonless night there were ten guards awake but sleepy. Death can make people fall asleep forever, and death came among falling bodies and blood spilled. The ten guards died without knowing what hit them. The ANBU infiltrated the mansion, killing everybody on sight in total silence.

The Team commander, Angry Dog, had a "recommendation" from the Hokage that Uchiha Sasuke "Red Demon" should be among the ones that had the most dangerous positions. However Angry Dog didn't particularly care about what seated-office-leaders ordered about missions. Red Demon was in the group that was checking the second floor. The most trusted shinobis in the team where checking the first floor, where Tetsuya had his office and his bedroom.

However it was Sasuke who found the target. He found him in a small bedroom. The target looked at him with a surprised expression. He was holding a small child about ten years old and a children's picture book. The child, who was looking at him with a scared expression, had green eyes like Sakura.

They stood in a stand-off, neither of them reacting. Sasuke was holding two kunais in his hands but he was unable to throw them. For a few second Sasuke even caressed the possibility of letting them go.

"Let her go and I'll let you kill m…" The Sand shinobi started to say. He never finished.

Two kunais graced Sasuke's face as they went past him and impacted with violence on the forehead of both Tetsuya and the unnamed child. Both of them fell down dead.

Sasuke looked back at Blind Dog, the ANBU who had completed the mission. He felt his blood boiling as he grabbed the other ANBU by the collar.

"WHY THE KID!" He shouted. He felt Orochimaru's seal starting to itch again. Blind Dog didn't appear fazed.

"The orders were no witnesses. Do you want the Sand to know Leaf ANBU's are killing their shinobis?"

"I didn't join the ANBU to kill defenseless children!"

"Congratulations." Blind Dog, a veteran of many missions, praised "It's a promotion."

Sasuke let go of Blind Dog. He looked back at the two corpses. The child was lying dead and another one was floating and looking at him. Sasuke used his sharingan and looked at the kid again. There was nothing floating. Obviously, it was a new lack-of-sleep-induced illusion. So far the Sharingan let him see through his daydreams; so far, at least. Only his shadow didn't appear to change. At first it was just for brief moments. Now his shadow looked almost all time like Itachi's. It had been three months already since he had joined the ANBU. The illusions were getting worse. Many times he had problems distinguishing them from reality.

Sasuke shrugged, took a combat pill, and continued checking the floors for other witnesses.

The ANBU disappeared after spreading some fake evidences which pointed another member of the Anti-Leaf faction as the one responsible of the attack. They left only corpses behind.

* * *

Sasuke was speeding back to Leaf village. Only one more mission and he was hitting the 40th mission mark… in case he hadn't miscounted. He couldn't be sure anymore. It had been four months since Naruto's death. He had barely slept in those four months.

He was feeling the other ANBU around him. He was having brief glimpses of something _else_. Sometimes they were his parents. Sometimes it was Naruto. Sometimes it was the people he had killed during the ANBU missions. He was also having a lot of trouble thinking. His mind was constantly rambling.

Still, he needed to think. There was something rotten going on. So many missions for an ANBU rookie were weird. He was constantly being moved from one team to another just in time for the dangerous part. Why the Hokage would be interested in promoting him? There were only two logical options that he could think of. The first one was that the Hokage wanted to support the person that was the best friend of Naruto. The second one was that the Hokage wanted him to suffer because she considered him responsible for the death of Naruto. He suspected it was the second option. If it was so, the Hokage was succeeding. He was losing his mind one piece at a time.

At least he was succeeding in _his_ plans. He was becoming much stronger. He had been in many life-to-death clashes and he had survived. The act of killing had become second nature to him. His constant training was paying off. However he still had to improve.

"_Sasuke, you have to keep your breath while you run" A voice recommended. It belonged to a person he loved. _

"_Hai!" The 7-yeard old Sasuke agreed to his beloved brother. _

"Hai?" Itachi asked with another voice. Why was he wearing a dog mask?

"Uh?" Sasuke blinked and looked around. He was shocked when he noticed he was standing in front of Leaf Village. The guards of the door and his ANBU team-mates were looking at him with poker-faced expressions. How long had he been standing there like an idiot? His daydreams were getting worse.

Sasuke muttered some explanations as he went past the doors, feeling the stares and the silent questions burning his back. He lit a cigarette while in the way to his house. Halfway he saw his uncle. Sasuke remembered that his uncle always had a tale about his adventures with the Fourth. The white-haired Uchiha smiled at his young nephew as he went _through_ Sasuke.

Sasuke shuddered, as the cigarette fell to the floor, remembering that his uncle had been also killed by _that man_. He quickly swallowed another combat pill. He resumed his walking, watching his shadow which was dancing around him for not particular reason except to annoy him.

He reached his house. There was a time when it had been a home. It became a house after a night of a full moon. It had taken Sakura a long time to make it a home again. It had taken Itachi one day to make it a house again.

He wondered if he should enter for a quick shower or leave to train again without even saying hello to Sakura. She probably wasn't even there. She was most likely training with Kakashi again. She was making great progresses in her recovery. If he were a jealous person, he would be slightly bothered by the fact that Kakashi was spending so much time with Sakura. Well, he wasn't. Really, he wasn't.

He decided that he should leave. He still had a few hours of light a long night of training ahead.

"Sasuke!" He heard his name being called by the voice that he loved as he walked away.

Sasuke turned around. The first thing he saw was the patch that covered Sakura's missing eye. The second thing he saw was the prosthetic leg. Finally he saw the whole Sakura wearing some groceries bags.

"When did you arrive? How are you doing? Let's go in" She said hurriedly with a worried expression.

"One hour ago. I'm fine. Sorry I've got to train." Sasuke answered respectively. He turned around fully intending to hunt his next supper. He had heard there were some new big animals in Death Forest.

"Sasuke. Please come inside. We need to talk." She pleaded holding his arm.

Sasuke blinked. He had never heard her coming. He needed another combat pill soon. He was losing concentration too easily. After a few seconds he shrugged and followed her inside.

Sakura bit her lip. Her heart was hammering as she hesitated. She was on the brink of doing what she had been planning on for some time. All the information she had gathered from novels she had hidden under her bed when she lived with her family were going to finally pay off. She was very nervous, but that was the only way she could bring Sasuke back from the sinister place he had gone. She had to break Sasuke's walls. She only could think of one way of doing it and this time she wasn't drunk.

Sasuke went first to the bedroom. He needed to replenish his reserves of combat pills. He only had enough reserves for one week.

The boxes were gone.

"Sakura, have you seen my combat pills?"

"I threw them away." Were Sakura's harsh words. Sasuke felt a brief attack of fear. He was surprised by how long it took him to control it. He stored for future reference that he needed to be careful with his addiction. He would need to buy more pills.

Sasuke entered the living room. Sakura had left him some space in the sofa. Instead he leaned against the wall. Sakura knew he was not going to sit down. He was too afraid of relaxing.

"Sakura, I have to train. You have ten minutes" Sasuke stated.

"Sasuke, I need to know how you _really_ are doing. This time please tell me the truth.

Sasuke sighed. At first he considered lying to her. He had never liked to lie, though; particularly not to _her_.

"I am still in denial of the death of Naruto. I have been suffering a deep depression, along with insomnia, mood swings, suggestions of agoraphobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The fear of nightmares is making me to avoid any kind of rest. I have been taking great amounts of combat pills for the last four months and I have developed an addiction. The lack of sleep is producing a great fatigue and continuous bouts of exhaustion, along with illusions and daydreams. My cardiovascular performance has slightly decreased. My brain is now unable to perform complicated mental tasks." He carefully explained. "Please, don't ask me about the missions. It's…"

"…Classified. That's what you always say. You just grit your teeth and keep going. It's killing you!"

Sasuke slowly smiled a bloodcurdling grin.

"Do you want me to tell you about the missions? Let me think. Our dear neighbour Hinata also joined the ANBU. We had a few missions together. The details are secret, of course, but whatever. In our last mission together we had to oust a governor from his daimyo. We infiltrated his environment. Hinata had to infiltrate the brothel. She was a virgin and the governor had a lot of _love_ to give to virgins" Sasuke let the words hang.

"Do you mean that…" Sakura started. She couldn't continue.

"That's right. Our old shy Hinata managed to seduce the governor and make him spill his beans about some delicate affairs. The governor ended up committing suicide. The mission was a total success. She lost her virginity in the process, though" Sasuke sighed "Hinata looked at me just before the mission in a pleading way. I think she wanted me to help her, somehow. But what could I do? We were in the middle of a mission. We were ANBU. What could I do?" Sasuke slid down the wall he was leaning on to the ground. He started to hit the wall behind him with his head sluggishly but rhythmically "What was I supposed to do? We all had accepted the risks of being ANBU. What was I supposed to do? What was I supposed to do?

Sakura finally made her move. She took Sasuke's hand and led him to the sofa. Sasuke didn't offer any resistance. Sakura gently pushed him down and she moved on top of him. Sasuke was going to complain when she forcefully kissed him.

He tensed when she fell her offering the solace that he so desperately craved and continually denied himself. She continued her kisses, becoming bolder each second. She stopped kissing only to get rid of her blouse. Sasuke started to kiss her back, to let it go. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her while she started to remove his sweatshirt. When he opened them, the first and only thing he saw was her patch.

Everything went downhill from there.

Sasuke grabbed her face as his mind started to concentrate on Itachi. He remembered the fight he had lost against Itachi. He remembered the useless techniques he had tried against Itachi. He remembered the way Naruto had died in front of Itachi. His seal started to itch again. Before he knew what was happening, black marks were covering his body again.

He wasn't paying attention to the seal. He was intently staring at the patch. His hands were still grasping Sakura's face. He barely saw her moving her lips and grabbing his own hands. Everything he could think of was Itachi. Why was he so weak? Why was he always so weak? If only he were stronger. If only he were to have more power. His parents, Naruto, all of them dead because he was weak…

Sasuke's eyes were finally drawn to her other eye. It was staring at him with terror. He saw his own mark-covered fingers that were diggings deep into her flesh.

He screamed as he jumped away. He looked at his hands. They were totally covered with black marks. He looked at a mirror to see if his face was also covered with Orochimaru's seal. He didn't see himself. He saw Itachi's face in the mirror. He paled. He looked back at Sakura. She was shaking and looking at him with terror in her eye left. He didn't want to see her with that bruised face. He didn't want her to look at him with that expression. He looked back at the mirror. Itachi's cold eyes were still there. He raised his arms to protect himself. They were all covered by the seal. He looked back at Sakura, then at the mirror, then at his arms.

He ran out of the room as fast as he could, slamming the door as he passed. Sakura looked at the door. She tried to regain her breath, but she couldn't. Minutes passed. She couldn't hear a word out of the other room.

"Sakura" Finally Sasuke's voice "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Thank you for giving me a sense of belonging." Long pause. Sakura thought at first he had finished "I have… I have outlived a lot of people I have cared for. I have changed. Naruto's death has changed me. Hell, I'm not even sure I'm human any longer. I am too used to being an ANBU… What I am trying to say is that I care about you, but... but not in that way anymore." Sakura felt her heart breaking with Sasuke's next words "I am sorry. It's over. I'll never hurt you again. We have to break up."

Sakura didn't move. She thought that she should move, that she should stop him, that she should tell him that everything was all right. She didn't move. She heard the weak sound of the door of the secret tunnel opening. Next there was silence again, only broken by her quiet sobs.

* * *

Hinata was kneeling in her floor with her eyes closed. She hadn't moved for more than one full day. She heard a sound which she quickly recognized as the door of the secret tunnel that communicated her house and the Uchiha mansion. When Hinata had started to live in the Uchiha compound, Sakura had rented her that particular house for her safety. There was the risk that the Hyuga clan would try to kill her. That was the first time somebody had used it for three years.

She heard the intruder coming closer and standing at her door.

"Hinata. I am leaving the Leaf for good. If you don't mind, keep an eye on Sakura."

"Sasuke." Hinata interrupted as Sasuke was leaving "I still don't know if revenge is the right way to take. I'm still reflecting about it."

"Aa" Were Sasuke's only words.

"If I choose the path of the avenger, I'll kill you for your failure to save him."

"Aa" Were his only words again. A few seconds later Hinata stopped feeling Sasuke's chakra.

* * *

That night the ANBU that guarded the doors saw somebody slipping through. Immediately the trap that the Hokage had prepared for months sprung. A net of ANBU's surrounded all the paths that Sasuke had to take to reach Sound Village.

The fishermen never caught the fish, because it had gone the opposite way.

* * *

Naruto Bridge was the heart of Wave Country. It had been built in a time of need. Its completion brought hope to the country. It was the place where a young man was laying. He was very tired after a long time of running without stopping even once. Many people passed but none of them stopped.

"Sasuke-niichan! It's you!" A voice finally yelled. " Where is Naruto-niichan?

Sasuke raised his tired eyes and looked at the boy that was talking to him. He was the kid that had become friends with Naruto during their mission in Wave Country. Itani? No. Inari.

"Naruto is not here. He's dead. I killed him." Sasuke muttered. The kid looked scared.

"Sasuke, you _dumbass_! You are scaring the kid." Sasuke froze. He was _very_ familiar with that happy voice, although he hadn't heard it in more than four months.

"Naruto-niichan!" Inari shouted hugging the newcomer.

Sasuke _very_ sluggishly raised his eyes.

In front of him there was a blond young shinobi with a mischievous smile and a large angry scar that ran the length of his shoulder and across his throat. He was wearing a Leaf headband

"N-N-N-Naruto?

The person in front of Sasuke smiled.

* * *

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* * *

* * *

* * *

And here is the 29th chapter of the Uchiha Tragedy. I think this is one of my best chapters. As a matter of fact I'm sailing now in uncharted territory as there has been some new changes in the story that were not planned, so please send some suggestions.

I tried very hard to depict accurately how some addiction as well as lack of sleep would reflect to one person, as well as how Sasuke would react to the death of Naruto at the hands of his own brother. I also worked to show a darker side of the shinobi world. Since shinobis are, after all, humans trained almost from birth to become better human weapons, obviously they would have many black missions. Assassination was a very important job of real-world shinobis

Well, I hope you like this new chapter. Don't forget to review.


	30. Good guys vs Bad guys?

**Chapter 30 Good guys vs Bad guys?**

"_I want to be a jounin because I want to be strong to protect all my precious people."_

Unnamed Sound genin

"_I want to be a jounin because I want to be strong to protect all my precious people."_

Unnamed Leaf genin

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Sasuke didn't believe in ghosts. When he was younger he had sometimes wandered through the deserted streets of the Uchiha compound, searching for the ghosts of his missing family. He had never found any, so he didn't believe in them. Did it mean Naruto was alive?

"Naruto-niichan, Naruto-niichan! Sasuke-niichan lied to me! He said that you were dead." Inari cried hugging Naruto.

"It's OK kid. I'm alive. It was a replica the one that was damaged. My real body was taken with the Kyubi for healing" the blonde shinobi explained.

Sasuke blinked.

"If I were alone I would think I'm definitely out of my mind. Since Inari also sees you, it may mean we are both crazy." Sasuke mumbled.

"Hai, of course. Communal hallucination, isn't it? Are you going wacko on me?" Naruto wondered with a playful smile. The same smile Sasuke had seen so many times.

Sasuke blinked again. His right hand went to a pill which he quickly swallowed.

"You _idiot_!" Finally cried Sasuke running to his friend.

Naruto was showing a happy, satisfied smile while Sasuke hugged him. The grin turned to an expression of surprise a few seconds later. It finally changed into an expression of pain as Naruto staggered back, watching the kunai that was protruding from his chest. It wasn't touching any vital point, but the pain was unbearable.

Inari watched in horror. He was too startled to move.

"Why?" Naruto managed to ask.

"I know you and Sakura were having an affair. She confessed. My question is, why? Tell me and I won't kill you." Sasuke ordered taking the kunai out of Naruto's body who screamed in pain.

Naruto stared at his wound and the blood that was leaving his body no matter what he did to stop it. He felt fright. He was going to die. He was going to die.

"Tell me and I'll heal you." Sasuke insisted. He seemed very interested in the blood that kept flowing.

"I'm… sorry. It just happened." Naruto managed to say after a few seconds.

"Bad choice." Sasuke commented as he stabbed again Naruto with the kunai, this time aiming for the heart.

"NARUTO-NIICHAN!" Inari screamed as Naruto collapsed sputtering blood.

Sasuke picked a cigarette from his pocket and lighted it with a quick one-hand seal. He took a long drag. The feel of nicotine rushing through his veins had always comforted him somewhat.

"I'll kill you." A voice promised.

Sasuke looked down. Inari was crying and holding a shaking kunai with a painted blade, an old present from Naruto. «What's more pathetic? A kid holding a kunai against an enemy he can't win against, or a kid that decides to spend the rest of his life as a doomed avenger» wondered Sasuke.

He kneeled down in front of Inari, whose trembling kunai was almost touching his neck. Gently he pushed it down.

"It's OK. He wasn't Naruto."

Inari looked at Sasuke's relaxed face and he turned around. The body was still there, but it wasn't Naruto. It was a big, burly woman with dozens of scars in the face. She was also wearing a different headband.

"Who…?"

"The scam is called Henge no Jutsu. I got tricked by it not so long ago." Sasuke explained "Now you better go away Inari-kun. This place is going to become a battlefield very soon."

"But…" Inari started to say. He shut up when he saw Sasuke's eyes. They had the color of blood. They reminded Inari of sharks. One year ago he had seen one huge shark eating one of his best friends right in front of his eyes. He still shuddered when he thought of the huge body of the shark emerging from the water and all the blood that followed.

Past and present mixed as Inari still stared at Sasuke's red eyes. He heard four bodies emerging from the water around them. He didn't wait as he started to run away. He had understood something: Sasuke-niichan was not like Naruto-niichan: His road was paved in blood.

Sasuke looked at the running Inari as he savored the taste of the cigarette. Only after Inari had disappeared he deigned to glance at four new shinobis that had come into view. Each of them was carrying a wakizashi with a dark red color. He took another long drag as he calculated how long the effects of the combat pill would last.

"Bunjuro, from the Sound. North Gate." Announced the first new shinobi, a young, thin kid with long arms.

"Atsuo. The same. South Gate." The second one, a burly shinobi with a long beard and an aristocratic aura said.

"Aika. The same. East Gate." The third one, the only woman of the group, with silver hair and blue eyes stated.

Sasuke sighed. He took another drag as he looked at the fourth newcomer.

"Kabuto, do these guys actually rehearse their appearances? Is that a requisite for joining the Sound?"

Kabuto grinned with his disarming and friendly smile. He was also carrying the same wakizashi as the others.

"Well, it was better with the four together. You didn't really have to kill Hikari." Kabuto said pointing at the fallen shinobi "How did you find out she was a fake? She was really good at mimicking speech, attitude and voice patterns."

"It was almost too easy. First, she called Inari "kid". Naruto always called Inari by his name when we came to visit. That couldn't be helped since your Hikari didn't know the name of Inari. Second he said, and I quote "replica" instead of clone and "Communal hallucination". Those words were just too complicated for Naruto. He was my best friend, but he always had trouble with words with more than two syllables."

"No offense Sasuke-kun, but… You drove a kunai into who could be your best friend just because some words and a name?" Kabuto wondered

"Well… there was another reason" Sasuke observed "I am an orphan."

"I don't understand." Replied Kabuto after some seconds.

"I know that dead people don't come back." Sasuke explained exhaling smoke "For years every time I woke up I wished my family was still alive and that everything was just a bad dream. Eventually I stopped wishing for the impossible. I held Naruto's dead body in my arms. I _cut to pieces_ Naruto's body. I know Naruto is… dead." After Sasuke uttered that last word, Kabuto had the strange feeling that he could almost grasp the sadness of the black-haired shinobi "That is the reason I made the stunt of asking about a supposed affair. In that situation the smart thing to do would be to lie. Again, Naruto wasn't the type to get out of a hitch by lying. Besides, Naruto would naturally start healing because of his Kyubi metabolism."

Kabuto sighed

"You really are not fun. I bet you don't have many friends. You should take life a little easier. It's not healthy for the body, you know?"

"What were you trying to do?" Sasuke demanded while taking another drag.

"Well... As always, we want your loyalty to the Sound." Kabuto stated with a friendly smile.

"You are lying." Sasuke answered with the same friendly smile "You just want my body. I know all about the "Immortality jutsu". Orochimaru is interested in the Uchiha bloodline, isn't he? You wanted to take me there against my will."

The three members left of the Sound Four glanced at one another nervously

"Well… That's right" Kabuto admitted with his unwavering friendly smile. "If you know that much, you probably also know that when he gets your body he will be forced to follow your most inner desires. That means Itachi."

"That's what I have heard." Sasuke commented slowly while managing to keep the smile. He was also carefully noticing what the direction of the wind was.

"Don't forget your purpose. Don't forget the reason you decided to dedicate your life. No matter how you look at it, Orochimaru has a lot more experience and he knows thousand of deadly jutsus. Don't forget Itachi. Will you come with us to the Sound to complete your fate?" Kabuto asked while extending his hand towards him.

Sasuke had to admit that Kabuto had a certain knack of dramatization. Reminding him of Itachi, the person that would be either his victim or his executioner was a nice move. He smashed his spent cigarette against his hand.

"What will you do _avenger_?" Kabuto repeated, his hand still extended, inviting him, tempting him, alluring him…

Sasuke didn't answer. Kabuto carefully watched Sasuke. If Orochimaru's future container tried anything funny, they would have to try to capture him unharmed. He watched carefully as Sasuke took another cigarette from his pocket and lit it with a one-hand seal. After exactly five seconds Sasuke sighed. The direction of the air was north-south, strong enough for his needs.

"OK, you win." Sasuke informed throwing the cigarette to the air. The friendly smile returned to his face, only this time he was showing his white teeth.

Kabuto relaxed. However his eyes unconsciously followed the flying cigarette. His senses were telling him that everything was alright but his instincts were shouting to him to bolt. The cigarette was still in the air. It was very close to Aika and Bunjuro now. Suddenly he remembered that Sasuke hadn't picked the cigarette from any pack. He had picked it directly from his pocket.

"DOWN!" Kabuto screamed. He didn't understand why, but they were in danger. The Four Sound were still too young and they reacted late. The cigarette exploded, bathing them with smoke which moved quickly around them.

"TRAP!" Kabuto yelled already half blind. It was an unnecessary move. They all knew they had fallen into a trap. Before the smoke had dissipated Sasuke had started to emit a lethal intent to kill.

Atsuo cursed in three different languages He didn't have time for too many insults though. He wasn't completely blind as he saw Sasuke rushing at him with bloodthirsty eyes after picking Hikari's wakizashi

Atsuo started to make seals. He never got to finish them as Sasuke sliced through his right wrist. Tolerating the pain, Atsuo grasped his custom-made wakizashi jumping backwards to try to counter Sasuke's attack. He wasn't fast enough as Sasuke plunged Hikari's wakizashi straight into him. Immediately Sasuke pushed the wakizashi upwards, piercing through his enemy's spine, cutting through bone and veins. An explosion of red showered Sasuke.

«Oh crap! that hurts, shit, this guy is good, I don't understand why did we have to fight this container, I wouldn't mind being a container myself, oh crap the wakizashi has reached my neck, damn it hurts, so, I'm dying, my sister is stupid, why didn't she want to live with me after our parents died in the war against the Leaf, I mean, brothers and sisters should get…»

Atsuo's life ended one second after the fake cigarette exploded.

Bunjuro finally saw the smoke dissipating, just in time to see Atsuo's collapsing, his chakra disappearing. He screamed in grief. He felt near him Aika and Kabuto gasp in surprise. Sasuke used the brief distraction he still had to use a seal he had learned from the seventy-seventh person he had killed in combat under Leaf's command. In a matter of seconds a deep, terribly thick mist had covered the whole bridge.

Kabuto quickly moved to protect Aika. He couldn't distinguish Bunjuro. At first he thought that Sasuke was trying to run away. Then he remembered that Sasuke had joined the ANBU. The elite of the Leaf followed to the letter one of the golden rules of the cruel Leaf Village: Never retreat.

"BUNJURO COME HERE!" Kabuto yelled when he understood they needed to move closer together.

Bunjuro heard Kabuto yelling. He grimaced when he thought that Kabuto wasn't going to protect him. He would be too busy trying to protect Aika, the weakest of the Sound Four. She and Kabuto should stop acting dumb and just hook up together. Life was too short for a shinobi, anyway.

Well, it was better to fight alone. He didn't need anybody. Common killing strategy was attacking the lone members and the container kid was a member of the ANBU.

Sure enough, through the thick mist he soon heard a chirping sound, accompanied by a terrible killing intent.

«Chidori» Bunjuro thought. He pointed with his whip toward the sound. Sasuke started to run towards him, while the terrible amount of chakra concentrated on his hand dispelled the mist around him. The sharpened tip of the whip shot towards Sasuke, who easily avoided it. However the tip changed direction and moved backwards at lighting speed, surrounding Sasuke's legs.

Bunjuro grinned as Sasuke fell. The whip kept moving around Sasuke and one instant later the Uchiha was completely tied up.

"You fool" Bunjuro gloated "That's my secret jutsu. I can move the whip at will."

"I knew that…" The tied up Sasuke said from the floor.

"…Because one of my ANBU team-mates used the same weapon. He was killed by one missing-nin because he became overconfident." The same voice continued saying from behind Bunjuro, who felt a sharpened iron touching his neck before he could react.

"You used the mist to get a Kage Bushin behind me" Bunjuro calmly observed after swallowing some saliva.

"Aa" Sasuke answered, still holding the wakizashi.

Bunjuro looked up. The sun was totally covered by the mist, but Bunjuro could still feel its presence there. It had been a sunny day, when he had been expelled by his clan because he had been unable to pass the test to prove his adulthood. He had been lying in the ground, wondering if there was anything worth living for.

"_You have talent. Don't worry about what those old geezers say about you. If you come with me, I'll explain to you how to develop those powers. Will you come with me?" A cloaked figure asked._

_The twelve-year old Bunjuro looked up to see somebody looking at him with an extended hand. To Bunjuro the hand was like salvation._

"_Who are you?"_

"_I'm Orochimaru. I'm nobody's servant. I want to develop your talent in exchange of your loyalty. Do you accept?"_

"I accepted" Bunjuro commented "I don't regret it. It was a good life."

Bunjuro looked at the covered sky again.

"You should have killed me immediately. You aren't as tough as you'd like to be. You still don't know how to kill instantaneously in cold-blood. A frail heart will always yield a frail blade."

Sasuke didn't answer.

"One day you will die at the hands of your enemy." Bunjuro said. It wasn't a threat. It was just a fact.

"That's the life of the shinobi" Sasuke replied.

Bunjuro sighed. The time was up. It had really been a good life.

"Ready?"

"Aa."

Bunjuro tried to move as fast as he could. He grabbed his custom-made wakizashi and turned around with all the speed he could muster. It was impossible and he knew it. Sasuke only had to make a single move and he would die.

Sasuke made the move.

Aika felt Bunjuro's chakra disappearing. She closed her eyes in terror. She couldn't believe it. Hikari, Atsuo… and now Bunjuro… all dead.

"Aika! Open your eyes!" Kabuto shouted "Dispel the mist! You were a chuunin in the mist village weren't you?"

"Hai. I'll… I'll…" Aika stuttered. She looked too confused to act.

"Shit!" Was Kabuto's authorised opinion about their situation.

"KATON!" A voice screamed from the mist.

Kabuto felt a raise of temperature and quickly started to make seals. A dragon of ice stopped the fire just as it was about to burn the two Sounds left to a crisp.

They barely had time to react as a second Sasuke erupted upward from underground, not with the fist first, as it was Leaf's style, but with the wakizashi first, trying to kill instantly as it was the ANBU style.

Kabuto didn't have time to react. It was Aika who shoved their enemy away, stabbing the second Sasuke in the arm with her hair that had turned solid in an instant. The second Sasuke vanished.

Kabuto finished some dispelling jutsu, and the mist vanished in thin air. In front of the two shinobis appeared a panting Sasuke. He had exactly the same friendly smile as before the fight. His clothes were also dirty with still wet blood. He was clutching two wakizashis. One of them had the same bright red colour as his eyes.

"There is another reason I knew your "Naruto" was fake. Gai-sensei was killed the night we got tricked by the fake Kakashi. Common sense says it was done by the same person. However Gai was one of the strongest jounins of the Leaf. Only a truly outstanding shinobi could kill him in surprise. There is only one outstanding shinobi that would be interested in making me meet my brother to make me realise my own weakness: The sannin Orochimaru. I will _never_ kneel to the person that caused the death of Naruto. I will make _you _pay."

"Speed, skill, decision-making, accuracy… the profile was totally wrong about you. Who are you?" Kabuto asked

"I'm just a kid that has spent the last eight years learning how to be the most lethal weapon to kill my only living relative." Sasuke explained with a confident expression. "I really like these wakizashis you guys have."

"They are specially made for the members of the elite of the Sound." Kabuto observed. He was sweating.

"I really like them." Sasuke pointed with his bloody wakizashi to Aika "I'd also like that one."

Aika tried to stop a shudder against Sasuke's dangerously polite words. Their politeness couldn't hide their killing intention.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Aika screamed.

Kabuto stepped in front of her.

"Aika, leave now. Back to the Sound." Kabuto ordered. Aika breathed slowly.

"Don't worry about me Kabuto-san." Aika said with a weak smile "I'm still a member of the Sound Four, the elite of the Sound."

"However, you haven't killed anybody yet, have you?" Kabuto asked.

Aika looked away.

"Forgive me. It was my fault. I saw a lot of talent in you and I decided to put you in the Sound Four although you weren't strong enough." Apologized Kabuto.

"Even if I'm not strong enough, I can still help you." Aika pointed out.

"That would be a bad idea because" Kabuto looked at her. "I can't protect you and beat him at the same time."

Aika stared at him for a few seconds. She looked away, while biting her lip.

"Fine I'll leave."

She commenced to walk away. Kabuto concentrated again on Sasuke, who hadn't moved during their exchange.

"Kabuto-san" Aika said looking back "Don't die, OK?"

"Sure" Kabuto answered looking at her. Their exchanging glances lasted three more seconds of what was recommended considering the circumstances. Sasuke coughed a bit. Kabuto finally looked back to Sasuke. Aika bit her lip again and ran away.

After Aika had disappeared, Sasuke began to chuckle softly.

"That was pathetic! Seriously, those fuzzy-warm moments makes me mad."

"Shut up!" Kabuto replied with indignation." Should I say what you told to Sakura one year ago after you saved her life in that fight against two Sound chuunins? One of them survived and told me your whole conversation. How was it? It you were to die, I'd…"

"Grrr. Shut up!" Sasuke ordered blushing. He heaved a sigh "You know, after that scene, I feel bad about this fight. I almost fell like letting you go."

"Almost?" Kabuto wondered with a wider than usual grin.

"Almost" Sasuke confirmed with the same grin.

They looked at each other. One leaf dropped from a tree and landed in the shore. It was at that moment that both shinobis sprinted against each other. They simultaneously tried to kick each other in the face. Their legs met halfway and both of them felt their own was breaking up. They didn't stop. Sasuke tried to pierce Kabuto, who hit Sasuke's wrist in a precise point, making him drop the first wakizashi. Sasuke jumped backwards and he managed to kick Kabuto in the face. Holding one wakizashi they tried to stab each other. Their weapons met. Both of them tried to shove, applying chakra to overwhelm their opponent. After exactly thirteen seconds Sasuke pushed forward his own body, deflecting Kabuto's wakizashi with his own. Kabuto didn't have time to anything against Sasuke's quickly approaching fist but quickly concentrating chakra on his own fist and trying to strike Sasuke first

Both fists impacted at the same instant. The chakra gathered was too much for both of them to stand firm as they were knocked down more than thirty meters from each other.

Sasuke tried to rise but failed. He chuckled. Kabuto was also laughing after trying to stand up and falling to his knees. He spit a fallen tooth.

"Second round?" Sasuke invited between laughs. His only eye that he could open was shining.

Kabuto had to bite his lip, which only added to the blood already falling. He could fell his blood was boiling and he was feeling the need to rip Sasuke to pieces. However he wasn't authorized to do it. If they kept fighting either Sasuke was going to die or he was going to die. Both ways he lost and Orochimaru got angry.

"I…" Kabuto tried to get up and failed again. "I think we should stop, Sasuke-kun. We would end up destroying the bridge if we keep fighting."

"So? Why should I…" Sasuke managed to stand up, even if his legs were wavering "care about this bridge?"

"Don't act like the villain! This bridge is very important for the survival of Wave Country. It represents their unified hope. Bridges are a symbol of unity and technical advancement. People died to make this connection reality. Not to mention…" In Kabuto's face appeared again a friendly smile "that this bridge is called Naruto."

Sasuke stood dumbfounded.

"You think…" Sasuke started to say while holding the laugh. "You think that just because this bridge has the same name as a stupid idiot who didn't follow my direct orders of running away, I'm going to let you go."

"That's right."

Sasuke burst out laughing. After a few seconds he sat down.

"You win. Get out of here" Sasuke ordered.

Kabuto got a little closer to Sasuke.

"You killed my pals of the Sound. You deserve a little reward." He commented throwing Sasuke a pill.

"What is this?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.

"That pill will let you enter the second stage of Orochimaru's curse. It will give you power beyond your wildest dreams."

Sasuke looked suspiciously at the pill. It looked too good to be true.

"There is just a little catch. If you are alone, your body won't be able to cope with the changes and you will probably die. Actually, you have around once chance out of a million of surviving" Kabuto continued. He smiled at Sasuke and started to leave.

Sasuke looked at the leaving Kabuto. This time he _knew_ Kabuto was saying the truth.

"Kabuto… Are you really loyal to Orochimaru?"

"Of course I am." Kabuto answered without stopping. This time Sasuke had no idea if Kabuto was saying the truth or not. Why would he give him that pill? Kabuto was really annoying. He couldn't read the Sound shinobi at all.

"Kabuto. One of us will probably kill the other sooner or later, but" Sasuke smiled, and for the first time in the whole day, it was an honest smile "in our next life we could be friends."

Kabuto didn't say anything. He only smiled back, and this time it was an honest smile too.

Sasuke waited till Kabuto left. Only then he looked at the pill. He was running out of time. His addiction to the combat pills had actually gotten out of control when he wasn't paying attention. He was almost out of them. He could last a week… if he stretched them to the limit. Afterwards the cold turkey was going to leave him totally undefended against hunter-nins from the Leaf and the enemy shinobis from Sound, if he didn't die from hunger or thirst first, of course.

He put the pill in his pocket. It was an interesting choice. A very interesting choice. But for the moment he had a lot of training to do.

He was an avenger, after all.

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OMAKE

"…in our next life we could be friends."

Kabuto turned around

"Are you totally stupid?" He yelled "We are trying to kill each other. How can we be friends? Hell, when somebody beats somebody else to a pulp, normal people hold a grudge"

In that moment, out of nowhere and for no logical reason at all except to advance the plot, Gaara and Lee appeared while having a friendly chat

"You haven't been reading Naruto's manga." Sasuke observed.

"Shut up! I said normal people!" Kabuto yelled.

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Well, this is chapter 30. It has been a long time since I wrote the last chapter. I am sorry for the long wait, but I have been studying for the exams.

As a reward for your patience, I am giving you one chapter that I think it's quite good.

The chapter it's a fight between a good guy Sasuke and the bad guys, the Four Sound. It's obvious that Sasuke acted in self-defence. If he hadn't acted like that, he would have been attacked and kidnapped by his enemies. Then, why did we have a disturbing impression during the fight? (or at least that was my intention)

The only thing I did was totally change the point of view. I showed the point of view of the Sound Four and during the fight I never showed even once the point of view of Sasuke.I didn't want to show the typical "bad guys". I tried to show some three-dimensional enemies. Some of them are weak, some are stronger, they have families, they have relationships, they have a back history, they have human reactions, etc, etc. And yet, one of the two sides usually has to die.

I admit that Kabuto is one of my favourite characters. He is not only strong but very cunning.

Finally, from now on I am going to write some funny omakes at the end of the chapters to create some laughs in the middle of the drama/tragedy

By the way, I want to thank all the reviewers, but please write a little longer reviews. Two or three lines, if you don't mind. That way I can see what people want and people's suggestion to improve my writing. Constructive criticism is the golden word ;)

Thank you very much


	31. The real Reason he left

**Chapter 31: The real reason he left.**

"_Orochimaru was one of the most brilliant shinobis in Leaf's short history. The real reasons why he became a missing-nin are still unknown."_

Leaf's History book.

"_Nobody in the Leaf ever understood my dreams"_

Orochimaru.

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Sasuke knew that he couldn't consume too many combat pills at once. He needed them to last as long as possible, or as long as he could think of a viable plan.

He realized it would be much harder when the illusions became much worse. He spent one third of the time lying awake, watching the corpses of his family and Naruto over and over. The rest of his time was spent in extreme training that left him too tired to waste time wondering about his own future.

It was three days after the bloody meeting with the Sound Four when he started to suffer another nightmare, even if he was awake. His whole body was in pain for too much training. His eye was still swollen. His head had felt like a punching bag the whole day. His hand hurt as it was probably fractured after he had used Chidori one time too many times. He was also drowning.

Technically he knew he wasn't drowning since there was no way there could be so much water in the middle of the forest. Obviously he was dreaming, but… Did it really matter when he couldn't breathe? He was about to pass out when he felt a presence coming closer to him. He tried to fall into the wings of sleep, but a lifetime of training didn't let him. Making a supreme effort he bolted awake.

He slowly rose. He was still on the solid branch he had chosen to rest. It was a miracle he hadn't fallen.

Sasuke took a careful look around. There was somebody out there, but he didn't feel that it was a hostile. He couldn't pinpoint it. That meant the observer was masking his presence, and that meant shinobi. Just in case he took another pill of his dwindling reserves.He caressed for three seconds the second-level curse pill Kabuto had given him. After he glanced to the ground for a few seconds he lit a cigarette.

"Come out!" He demanded.

There was only silence for a few seconds. Afterwards somebody with blond hair jumped and landed in the branch front of him. The new shinobi gazed at Sasuke's bandaged hand and the state of Sasuke's clothes and body odor.

"Look how far has the mighty have fallen." The blonde shinobi commented.

"Long time no see…" Sasuke said politely "…Ino. How did you find me? I was careful with covering my trail."

"It was half-good luck and half-hard work. You told Sakura quite a few times that you'd like to visit Naruto Bridge back when you _still talked to her_. The Hokage sent a lot of ANBU to the frontier with the Sound with the order of bringing you back dead or alive. Since we knew you had probably gone to Wave Country, we decided to look for you to make sure you were brought back alive. We found the battle zone on the bridge but missed you for one day. We split and started looking for you. I admit it was mostly chance that I found you."

"We? Who is "we_"_?" Sasuke asked, suspicious as always.

"Well… I brought Chouji and Shikamaru with us. Hinata also joined and she brought Kiba and Shino with him. Plus, Neji from the class above us was informed by Hinata and he said something about some debt with you. Lee said that he didn't want to lose your eternal rival and immediately adhered to the search group."

"I guess it's nice to have so many friends." Sasuke observed.

"Hai! We in the Leaf are a big family where we _must_ always help each other." Ino exclaimed with enthusiasm "We even got your three friends in the ANBU to help us."

"… My three friends in the ANBU…" Sasuke repeated very slowly

"Hai! Even before we thought about looking for you, they immediately said they wanted to help" Ino explained.

Sasuke was not answering. He was staring at Ino, who could not help but blush and squirm under his gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing. I was just thinking that we're the same age. It's funny, but I have never thought about it." There were a lot of facts in life. One of them was that he wasn't a very social person. Sasuke perfectly knew that he didn't have any friends in the ANBU. He was constantly switching from team to team. He could barely remember his teammates' faces. Three ANBU teammates who wanted to help? No way. Chances were they reported directly to the Hokage. Placing some spies in his circle of known acquaintances had been a smart move on her part." Are you in radio contact with the rest of the search group?"

"Of course. I contacted with them half an hour ago, when I found your trail" She answered with a smile.

Sasuke's headache was getting worse and worse.

There were some things in life that were absolute facts. Fact number one: Ino was still a kid. She was naïve and innocent, like a kid of her age should be. He had been like that, before his brother shook up forever his innocence. Fact number two: He was dead. ANBU were surely getting closer as they spoke.

"What do you want from me?" Sasuke asked exhaling smoke.

"Straight to the point, aren't you, Sasuke-kun?" Ino observed "Well, I want you to go back to the Leaf, and that means N-O-W. Now!"

"I can't. I…"

"I know, I know. You lost control when you were with Sakura and you couldn't control the release of the seal. I came to tell you that there is an explanation to it. The combat pills you "like" so much are dangerous. I did my homework. Its official name is P.A.A: Psychotropic Aggression Amplifier. It gives the user increased speed and reflexes. It has the risks of potential addiction and lack of control. Their addiction effects were considered under safe margins, and that was the reason it was released for shinobis."

"Your point being?" Sasuke wondered trying to smoke the cigarette as fast as possible. Ino was having a funny feeling about that cigarette.

"My point is that leaving the Leaf because you physically hurt Sakura is stupid. With the amount of combat pills you were taking it's a wonder you didn't become totally psycho! If you come back now, things may still be solved. You have a lot of talent. The Hokage will forgive you. Everything will be like before!

Sasuke closed his eyes. He also wished everything could be back like before. That had been his wish for years already. He wanted his family to be alive like before. He wanted Naruto to be alive and be his friend like before. He wanted to still believe in the slight possibility of a future of a happy ending of his relationship with Sakura. Maybe he was the one who was naïve and innocent, even more than Ino.

"I can't go back anymore." He stated leaning against the tree.

"Why not? You love Sakura, don't you?"

"My so called "love" would definitely kill her." Sasuke glanced at Ino again. "I didn't leave the Leaf because of me losing control of the seal."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't misunderstand. I believe hurting her was a valid enough reason to put a lot of space between her and me. I couldn't protect her and besides that I'm a danger to her. But no, there was another reason I had to leave." Sasuke looked up to the sky. The full moon was shining on them. That was good. _They_ left their holes in the night. "I left the Leaf because I understood that everything had been a lie. I understood that I was a monster, even if I manage to hide my fangs or horns."

"I don't understand what you are talking about" Ino whispered.

"Let me tell you a story that is a lie. Three years ago we went drinking the four of us, Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura and me. We got drunk and somehow Sakura and I ended up spending the night together. Due to many reasons, I decided to marry her. Somehow I found happiness on those three years." Sasuke exhaled noisily.

It was a long time before Ino dared to speak up.

"Why did you say that the story was a lie?"

"I was always suspicious about that story. It sounded too much of a cliché porno story, like the ones Kakashi-sensei liked to read. I even met an old blind seer who told me that I was questioning the story even before I was aware of it. Maybe it's in my nature to be suspicious."

"No!" Ino quickly exclaimed "I know what you are thinking. You think that Sakura tricked you. I know Sakura very well. She is in love with you and she would never betray you."

"I know that. I confess much to my shame that once I dared to doubt her, but no. For years I had thought that the lie was the truth since I couldn't believe Sakura, Naruto or Kakashi-sensei would betray me that way. Now I finally remember that there was another person who was likely to betray everybody."

"Who?"

Sasuke chuckled. Ino hadn't even conceived that a laugh could sound so sad till that moment.

"There were four people in the party: Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto _and_ me."

"You? But…" Was everything the dumbfounded Ino was able to say.

"This the hard truth about what really happened that night: My duties were to kill my brother and to resurrect my clan. I was planning on leaving the Leaf for Orochimaru as soon as possible and become a missing-nin to get enough power to kill my brother. That was a very dangerous move. Chances were I was going to get killed by somebody sooner or later and the possibilities of taking care of my second duty were very small. I decided to accept Kakashi's invitation to at least leave to the people I learned to love a good memory of me. We all got drunk, including Sakura and me. When people get inebriated, they lose their inhibitions. I don't know the exact point when I decided it, but somehow, I am sure I made up my mind up to take advantage of her. She was too drunk to even realise what we were doing. The funny part was that I was so drunk that _I_ forgot about it afterwards."

"No!" Ino yelled "That can't be true! If you say you don't remember how can you be so convinced it happened that way?"

"I can't be sure, that's true. But that's the only way it makes total sense. I realised last week: I had lost control the curse seal, and I had hurt Sakura. I was in the living room, trying to contain the curse seal, wondering how I could have hurt her, when I realised it. Moments of clarity are rare in my life. That one was downright frightening. If I am the kind of person that could try to kill a friend to gain power for vengeance, it meant I am the kind of person who could force another to become my breeding sow. It's consistent." He paused to suck in air. "Yes, I could do that. I could deliberately destroy her life. I am sure of it. I _did_ that."

"You can't be sure!"

"It's the only explanation that makes sense; that finally makes full sense. Kakashi-sensei and the Hokage sensed immediately the truth. That's the reason they were so hostile to me." Sasuke continued explaining. "I was taught at the shinobi academy that the definition of a perfect crime is the one when the victims don't know they are the victims. Well, I updated the definition: Perfect crime is the one when even the criminals don't know _they_ are the criminal. When I understood the truth I…"

"YOU CAN'T BE SURE!" Ino yelled. Sasuke paused, surprised by Ino's outburst. "You… you were happy. I don't know what happened that night… but you were happy, weren't you?" Ino continued.

_Sakura tried to hit Sasuke, who easily avoided her attack. Her fist uselessly hit another tree inside the training grounds. Kakashi was on a mission and Naruto was training with Jiraiya. _

_Sakura yelled and darted forward. Two emerald eyes met two onyx eyes. Sasuke easily read her straight movement, evaded her attack and flicked her with a slight violence, which knocked her down._

"_Not enough!" He sternly said. "Taijutsu is your weakest ability. You need to improve. In real battle you wouldn't stand a second."_

_Sakura was on his knees, looking to the ground. She started to sob. Sasuke panicked. He could deal with psycho-sannins, berserk shinobis and deranged team-mates. He could even _kind of_ deal with his mass-murderer brother. He could _not_ deal crying girls._

"_Sorry, OK. End of training for today? I was too hard on you. I apologise. Please don't cry. I'll treat you…" Sasuke stuttered getting closer to her._

_Sasuke got near her and moved her hand tentatively to comfort his crying wife. Sakura suddenly rose and head-butted him. Sasuke was too shocked to react. Before he knew what was happening Sakura was lying over him and she had caught each of his hands by the wrist and pinned them over his head._

"_That's cheating!" He angrily shouted._

"_In _real battle _you should never let your guard down" Sakura mocked. Thanks to gravity and her advantageous position she had Sasuke trapped._

_Sasuke sighed._

"_You won. I guess you deserve some reward" Sasuke admitted with mock anger, raising his head. Sakura lowered her head and their tongues entwined in a passionate kiss. Still kissing, Sasuke turned their bodies around in surprise and grabbed gently her hands, pinning her against the ground._

"_How…? You…" Sakura complained when she understood this time it was her who was immobilized._

"_In _real battle _you should never let your guard down." Sasuke recommended. He bowed his head to trace his tongue along her neck before gently nibbling on her earlobe._

"_Now… what should I do with you? I wonder." He purred._

"_I _do_ have some ideas" Sakura admitted with a wicked smile. Sasuke lowered his head… when he suddenly blinked and moved away from her._

"_Sakura, I am sorry. I have something to confess. I am gay I also like older men. I am in love with Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya-sama turns me on."_

_Sakura stood in dumbfounded stillness._

"_Uh?" was everything the talkative Sakura was able to say._

"_If I have resisted Ino's incredible feminine charms, it's evident I can't be straight" He explained._

_Sakura's stunned expression turned into an expression of anger. She hit Sasuke's groin with a powerful kick. Sasuke screamed and rolled away from her. Sakura stood and looked around, looking for someone in particular. She was right on the mark as fifty metres from her, behind a tree there was a body with blonde hair lying on the floor._

"_Ino-pig! Release Sasuke NOW!"_

_The jutsu on Sasuke's body was released and the formerly immobile body of Ino burst out laughing._

"_You got me there big-forehead!"_

_Sasuke, finally in control of his own body, groaned in pain as he staggered._

"_My dream of reviving my clan broken forever" He muttered in pain._

"_I'm going to kill you Ino-pig" Sakura promised._

_Ino was still laughing._

"We were happy" Sasuke admitted lighting another cigarette after glancing again at the ground. "And because that happiness weakened me, the bearer of death visited me again, taking away my best friend. When a star like Naruto brings his light into your life, after he passes there are only shadows." Long sigh "I'm not going back to her, Ino. My "love" would destroy her. She must find someone that can love her without so many turbulences."

Ino was going to yell at him. She was going to call him a bastard. She was going to say that Sakura was too good for him. She was going to declare that unless he had a crystal ball to see the past, he couldn't be sure of _anything_. She was going to warn him that she was going to torture him to death unless he agreed to come back to the Leaf NOW.

She wasn't able to say anything as a roar interrupted her. She looked to the ground, where a strange animal had appeared. It looked like a cross between a hyena and a tiger with a werewolf thrown in for good measure. The animal's jaws looked strong enough to crush a kunai, after those teeth had ripped the kunai from his owner's grasp, hand and all.

"What's that?" She asked with repugnance.

"Its official name is "Project 145"." Sasuke, who had gotten suddenly very close to Ino, explained. The blonde chuunin jumped away. "They were created just before the war to serve as weapons of destruction. Orochimaru himself worked in the project, although only as an assistant. Sure, he was a genius, but it was his first time working in I+D. It was one of the many black-ops of the ANBU that were secret to the general population of the Leaf, known only to the higher authorities, like the Hokage. Those creatures ranked high in the savagery department but they proved to be too difficult to control. Eventually the elimination order was given, but some of them managed to escape and hide."

Sasuke fell silent. Ino looked again at the ground. Another creature had appeared. The tree was extremely tall and the branches were very thick, so they weren't in danger for the moment. Ino understood that Sasuke hadn't chosen at random the tree.

"Those night beast have long lives, but they have already grown very old. For years they have travelled in packs. Probably they only wanted to be left alone, but they couldn't fight their own nature: The number of human casualties they have killed is around six-hundred, according to ANBU estimates. They were constantly on the move and they only killed in isolated villages, so they were difficult to track down." Sasuke explained while he continued getting closer to Ino, who was backing away, although she was running out of branch. The number of beats continued to increase.

"How come they weren't eliminated?"

"The ANBU wasn't interested in showing an interest in them. They were a black-op after all. It would be bad PR. One of my first ANBU missions was "making sure" a journalist didn't say anything about this black-op which he had discovered. I killed him. It didn't bother me since I was just following the Leaf's commands." Sasuke explained, getting still closer to Ino. The chuunin tried to back away, but she didn't have any more space. The number of beasts were still increasing. There were a dozen of them already.

"They are already very old. They can't reproduce. In a few years most of them will die of old age. However they can't ignore their nature to kill people. That was the reason they were created. It's not that I want to make amends, but I thought they could get good exercise. This morning I attacked and killed five of their number during the day, when they were weak. Now they are coming for revenge and I am ready for the showdown." Sasuke continued, moving his hands around Ino's head. Ino closed her eyes, her heart hammering her chest violently.

Sasuke, without touching her skin, untied the ribbon she had on her hair. He moved away from her while tying the ribbon around his head, covering his eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asked. She would never say to anybody that she felt disappointed.

"This is training. I need a handicap to make the fight more dangerous for myself. I'll fight in the darkness. To fight them I'll listen the noise they make as they move."

Ino looked to the ground again. The beasts were getting restless, howling and roaring, circling the tree like a shark a bloody swimmer. And more of them were still coming.

"Any shinobi can move without making any noise!" She yelled.

"In that case I'll listen to the air moving around their body. If it doesn't work then I'll listen to the noise of the heartbeat."

"Nobody can do that!"

"_He_ can." He said. Ino shuddered when he saw Sasuke's expression. He looked old and tired and there was revulsion, hate, even fear in his expression. It only lasted a few seconds. It was quickly replaced by his usual cold fury. "Hai, I am sure of that. _He_ can do it, and that means I have to do it also if I want to kill _him_."

"You… you are still obsessing about your revenge…" Ino understood.

"I am still chasing the murderer of my family and Naruto, that's true." Sasuke confirmed. "I have never wanted to be anybody's teammates or to seek anybody's help. Everything is nothing but a tool to reach my goal; nothing but a stepping stone to kill the person I cherished and admired. That is the reason of my existence. I'm planning to die for my dream. The path is clear and it is my own."

"What about Sakura!"

Sasuke turned his face away, even if his eyes were covered by Ino's ribbon.

"I have always caused her pain… Please tell her, I am so sorry. I won't ever be back, but I'll always…"

"NO!" Ino screamed interrupting Sasuke and jumping into him. Before Sasuke could respond, Ino had violently kissed him. Her tongue entered his mouth while she slipped something in his pocket. Sasuke quickly pulled away.

"I…" Sasuke started to say.

"I don't expect you to understand." Ino interrupted, looking away. After some seconds she continued speaking. "Chouji is a really sweet and loving guy, and Sakura is my best friend."

Sasuke didn't move.

"I don't care about what you want. I don't care about your brother or about your revenge. I don't care about your family or Naruto. I am going to make sure you and Sakura are together again" Ino promised. Sasuke didn't react as she jumped away. The animals didn't follow her. They knew their challenger was still on the tree.

Sasuke caressed again the second-level curse pill Kabuto had given him. He

Sasuke caressed again the second-level curse pill Kabuto had given him. He coldly calculated how much time he had before the ANBU arrived. Ino, Chouji, Shikamaru, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Neji and Lee were eight people. They had probably covered a large radius, considering the group size. Any ANBU team would need a lot of time to find the exact place but Ino had already led the search group to his location. It was only during his harsh and endless training that he had learnt the layout of the forest quite well. He could easily avoid up to four middle-quality ANBUs. If they waited for reinforcements directly from Leaf Village he would have at least a week.

The creatures below roared in rage. Instinctively, more creatures came until there were about thirty of them. More were probably hidden between the surrounding bushes, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce upon their prey, since they were smart creatures. He wasn't the type to back down from any challenge.

"You are a mistake." He told them with scorn, starting to walk down the tree. "The reason you are alive is because your creators were inefficient in killing you. You don't even have the right to exist. You should have been killed a long time ago. Maybe you could have lived as a shadow, always hiding and running away, but you are exactly like me; we can't go against our nature. We are nothing but monsters that should have disappeared a long time ago. However, since we are still alive, I guess we still should do our best."

He stopped. An impatient, collective roar was the welcoming committee.

"Happiness doesn't last.

It's bright, it blooms with colors.

Then it dies and fades."

After saying his death poem Sasuke extended both arms outward making a T shape. Each of his hands was holding a wakizashi with dried blood.

«Sakura, Naruto, I am sorry» He thought.

"Look at me now, brother. LOOK AT ME!" He yelled as he jumped blindfolded into a sea of jaws.

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OMAKE:

"NO!" Ino screamed interrupting Sasuke and jumping into him. Before Sasuke knew could respond, Ino had violently kissed him. Sasuke quickly pushed her away

There was not enough space in the branch and Ino fell into the beasts. Powerful jaws snapped and snatched, chopping on her. Finally a belch was heard

"Uh, Did I do that?." Sasuke mumbled

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I appreciate constructive criticism, so if there's something wrong with my story, please point it out to me or give me a few tips of advice. I am an amateur and it could really improve later chapters. Did you like the Omake part? Do you think it's a welcome comic relief, or maybe you think it breaks the dark mood? Please, tell me your opinions. Thanks for all the people that take their time to give me some feedback

Most fanfiction I have seen with Ino is the usual routine "Ino has gotten over Sasuke and she is in love with Naruto/Shikamaru/etc". I wanted to make things more complicated and show some character development. Specially with the lingering feelings.

As you can see the plot is quickly moving forward, even with all the time I take for character development . Very soon things will quickly explode.

I wanted to show the part where Sasuke remembers Sakura specially poignant. Some reviewers have pointed out that my story is too dark. I am sorry, but I have to use the quote from the great manga Monster

"I thought I was in the darkest place... but then I looked ahead... and I saw an even darker place" One of the best manga ever.

Thank you very much. Next chapter soon coming!


	32. GoodBye Sensei

**Chapter 32 Goodbye sensei.**

"_Trying to kill your own master, yet, you still have the heart to feel some small amount of sadness."_

"_No I was just tired. I yawned and a tear leaked out. That's all."_

Dialogue between the Third and Orochimaru.

"_Kabuto. I told you I just yawned and a tear leaked out. I didn't feel any sadness in killing that old geezer. Ask me again and I'll kill you."_

Orochimaru

"_So farewell hope! Farewell remorse! As good to me is lost; evil, be thou my good!"_

Uchiha Sasuke

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Kakashi stepped into a mess of blood and gore. Blood was everywhere, on the ground, on the trees, even on overhanging branches and leaves. Broken branches hung limp from trees like broken arms. The fight had been terrible.

After a long search, he found among a heap of bodies, or more accurately, body parts, some pieces of Sasuke's clothes. He also found Sasuke's headband in the jaws of a beast, which was on the ground, cut in half at the waist. Its thick ropy intestines had oozed out onto the ground. There was dried blood on the headband. Kakashi couldn't determine if it was Sasuke's or the beasts'.

He smelled around. He couldn't detect Sasuke's smell, but at least somebody covered in blood had left the place, jumping from tree to tree to avoid detection.

Maybe he could still convince him to go back. He couldn't let anybody else die. Not again.

--------------

Neji and Lee were running, following the directions Ino had given them. Ino's instructions were to retain Sasuke till she arrived back with Sakura. They didn't exactly know how they were going to control one member of the ANBU, but they were going to try their best.

"Somebody is coming!" Lee warned.

Neji used the Byaukugan. One, two, three, four, five shinobis were around them and closing fast. They were all wearing ANBU masks.

"We must stop." Neji warned. In three seconds the ANBU had completely surrounded them.

The two groups of shinobis looked warily at each other.

"We thank you for your assistance in locating the missing-nin Uchiha Sasuke" One of them announced. "Now we must ask you to leave the rest to us. This is a matter for the ANBU."

"You don't need to intervene. We can convince Sasuke to go back ourselves!" Lee yelled. Neji was silent.

"We apologize, but this is not a request. It's an order. Two of us will follow you back to the Leaf village." The ANBU captain explained. Her tone was stern and had a slight warning tone. Neji understood perfectly.

"Very well. Lee, we are leaving." Neji decided.

"But…"

"We are leaving now" Neji repeated. Two ANBU moved away from the rest of the group and stood silently near them. Neji started to walk back. After a few seconds, Lee tagged along.

"Ne, are we really going back?" Lee whispered, glancing back at the two ANBU following them.

"I have to prepare things for Hinata-sama to escape the Leaf. The Hyuga clan is going to target her sooner or later after the last blood-Uchiha is killed."

"How come we aren't helping Sasuke then?"

"The Hokage has finally decided to get rid of him. That captain has chosen one soldier for each of us. If they do the same for each member of our rescue group, that means they have overwhelming resources at their disposal for hunting Sasuke. The Uchiha clan is finally going to disappear. He made his bed and now he'll die in it." Neji's words were cold.

"Is that it? Are we really going to do nothing?" Lee asked getting angry.

"The Uchiha is a good sparring partner and something close to what I would call a friend. I am going to do something" Neji confirmed "I am going to send him flowers."

Lee shuddered when his eyes met with Neji's. The old Hyuga clan; they had been shinobis for the longest time in Fire Country. In theory their unique eyes came after their terrifying bloodline. Lee suddenly felt the truth. They had their eyes because they had been shinobis for a very long time. Their cold eyes were the eyes of a true shinobi.

-----------------"

Ino finally arrived to the Uchiha compound. The door was unlocked, exactly as it was when she had left. Sakura was in her bed. She had new bandages on her right eye after her last operation.

"Big-forehead girl! Good news! I finally found your stupid husband. Now I need you to come with me. You're the only one that can convince him to come back home without knocking him unconscious." She said with a big grin.

Sakura didn't move. She finally looked at her friend.

"Ino. Let him go." She weakly said.

"What are you talking about? Are you giving up?" Ino demanded.

"I have been thinking. I have only been a bother to him all along. It was just a matter of time before he ran away. I think I have been lying to us."

"I don't understand." Ino was having a funny feeling of deja vú.

"It all started three years ago" Sakura confessed. "Sasuke was going to leave the Leaf. I don't understand very well, but I suspected it. That night we both got drunk: A person that wanted to leave, and a second person that wanted the first person to stay. It's too easy to know what happened next. I was drunk and I don't remember it very well, but I seduced h…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Ino out of the blue yelled. Sakura stared at Ino. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP, DAMMIT!" Ino heaved a long sigh "I am tired of all of you. You definitely deserve each other. Damn! I need to break a glass or a head or something."

"Ino, I…"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP AND LET ME SPEAK!" Ino demanded. "I talked to Sasuke and he thinks that it was _him_ who raped you."

"Sasuke? But he would never…"

"I _know_! He would never and you would never and I am in the middle wanting to strangle you both! Sakura, you have to _go_ for Sasuke. He wants to die!"

"He left me…" Sakura said with an unsure voice. She had agonized for days whether to go after him or not. She had seen the pain in his eyes. She wasn't sure it was fair for him if she forced him to stay in the Leaf.

"He left you. Maybe that will be the end of you two. But maybe, just maybe, that emotionally crippled fool simply doesn't know about his own feelings. His brother killed the rest of his family. He was afraid of having a friend because of that crap of the next level of the sharingan that you told me about. He is _totally_ messed up. Sakura, if you don't go, _I'll_ go. I'll use an awakening kiss and Sasuke will finally be _mine_." She warned.

"You wish, Ino-pig!" Sakura quickly answered back.

Their old enmity appeared back again. A long time ago they had been best friends. However their friendship had been asymmetrical: Ino, the girl who was perfect, and Sakura, the poor girl who was too shy to stand up. Sakura's love for Sasuke had been the first time she had dared to fight against her perfect friend. She had somehow decided to bloom and to try to find a friendship in equal terms.

"That's the Sakura I love and loathe. Now listen, I managed to distract him and to put a tracking device in his pocket." She explained giving Sakura a gadget. She looked at Sakura's leg. "I saw Sasuke one week ago and he looked really bad. We should go as fast as possible, but I don't know how fast we can move."

Sakura grinned as she finally stood up. She had been a fool. Ino was right. If they didn't have faith in themselves, who would?

"I can run almost as fast as you. I just can't last as long. However I haven't been losing my time with the training with Kakashi-sensei for the last months."

Sakura bit her thumb with a wince, using her blood to trace flowing characters, drawing a seal in four directions. A puff of smoke appeared from nowhere and from the smoke a huge white tiger emerged.

Sakura smiled. She hugged Ino.

"Thank you Ino-pig… for everything. You really are my best friend."

"Ah, cut the lovey-dovey moment, big-forehead girl! Now hurry up and bring that idiotic genius back." Ino too, hugged Sakura. They stood, looking at each other and still embracing each other.

"Give me an order, my Master." The massive tiger spoke in a guttural tone.

"Take me to Sasuke; take me to the person that has my heart." Sakura ordered jumping on the tiger. She smiled at Ino one more time before the tiger started to run as fast as the wind, leaving Leaf village behind in a matter of seconds.

Ino smiled as both the tiger and Sakura dashed away. She had done her best. Now it was Sakura's turn. She was the only one that could really open his heart.

_Before Sasuke could respond, Ino had violently kissed him. Her tongue entered his mouth while she slipped something in his pocket_

Ino touched her lips. The kiss had been too brief…

"I'm a genius." She boasted aloud even if nobody was hearing her. "I managed to trick Sasuke. I bet the poor fellow is lamenting not falling in love with me. Bah! Sakura obviously doesn't have the beauty for seducing anybody." Her words seemed empty even to herself.

Ino sighed. She hadn't lied to Sasuke. Chouji was a really sweet and loving guy. Sakura was also her best friend. Sasuke was also too… troublesome. Even if Sakura weren't there, to be in love with Sasuke would be a love triangle with Itachi. Sasuke would _always_ chase his brother.

_Sasuke continued, moving his hands around Ino's head. Ino closed her eyes, her heart hammering her chest violently._

_Sasuke, without touching her skin, untied the ribbon she had on her hair. He moved away from her while tying the ribbon around his head, covering his eyes._

"_What are you doing?" She asked. She would never say to anybody that she felt disappointed._

She had slapped Chouji one week ago when he had suggested that she still had feelings for Sasuke. That argument had been pointless. She would talk to Chouji and forgive him.

She sighed again. Sasuke would return to the Leaf that was for sure. Alive or dead, that was another question.

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Kakashi sniffed around. The stench of dead was easy to follow. Yet it was too unfocused. It was very close now.

"As always Sasuke, you were so busy planning and fighting that you didn't have time to think." Kakashi said aloud.

Out of the shadows of the trees something moved. Suddenly the moon appeared in the middle of the storm clouds, spilling moonlight among the trees, bathing Sasuke in silver. He was covered in wounds, from the fight against those beats, which were crudely but effectively covered by make-up bandages. Numerous beads of sweat were streaking down his cheeks. His shirt had been used as raw material for the bandages and a whole set of new scars were open for Kakashi to see. There was a foul smell coming from some of the infected wounds.

Kakashi thought that Sasuke looked like a black sea. Only this time there wasn't any Sakura to illuminate him. Tension clung to him like an aura. He saw the cold look Sasuke gave him, and he thought it wasn't the same as before. It wasn't Sasuke any more, maybe never again. He could never tell whether his eyes were vexed, revolted, or condescending when he was careful. It was almost better when the anger or resentment made his eyes honest.

"You have done a good job, avoiding the ANBU till now, especially in your sorry state. You understand, of course, that I can't let you run away from the Leaf." Kakashi stated.

Sasuke grinned. He had to relax to not vomit. The thirst was killing him as the infection was making his throat dry. He had suffered some blackouts recently due to his high fever. The worst part was he had almost run out of combat pills. He had one left, one last chance to get out of the forest.

"I wouldn't say I have done such a good job. I have been trying to get away from the forest for the last week and I have continuously failed. The siege has been getting thicker and avoiding the ANBU's has been very tricky."

"There are scores of ANBU looking for you." Kakashi admitted.

"How come I am loved so much by the Leaf?" Sasuke asked with a slight irony.

"Two Akatsuki members attacked Sand Village looking for Gaara. They failed to find him and they caused hundreds of casualties as revenge. There has been also some movement on Orochimaru's side."

"Things are heating up." Sasuke admitted.

"Tsunade-sama has decided to consider you a security risk." Kakashi continued explaining "If you die, the problem is definitely solved. If you don't surrender, the orders are to eliminate you."

Sasuke laughed softly. He grabbed his two wakizashis and slowly walked towards his sensei. Kakashi didn't react. He could barely distinguish Sasuke's features as the black clouds barely allowed him to distinguish them.

"Do you want to know the real difference between Itachi and me, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked as he took out his weapons out and stood near his sensei.

"Your power?"

"Conscience. Itachi is barely human. He is more like a machine. I don't think he feels. He is too detached. He doesn't have conscience. I have regrets. He doesn't. I don't think he cares about anything, including himself. He is empty inside. A man without regrets is scary because he can do anything he wants." Sasuke explained, handing the wakizashis and his last kunais and shurikens to his sensei.

Kakashi took them raising a questioning eyebrow.

"I'll try to force my way out of here one last time. Still, I don't want anybody to die."

"Come back to the Leaf." Kakashi recommended. There was a hint of desperation in his voice. He knew it was very unlikely. Sasuke was not the type to back down.

"I can't. I bring bad luck. I have known family, lost family. I have known friendship, lost friendship. I don't want to lose love. I better die before that happens. She might get a chance then. I am ready for the final door." Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and turned around. "Besides, if I were to surrender, I would be dragged to the Intelligence Division where prisoners have a high tendency to suffer "heart attacks" and "accidents". I think I'll take my chances outside."

"I am not going to be able to protect you anymore." Kakashi said sadly.

"I know." Sasuke admitted walking away.

In the distance there was a huge lighting and the sky was starting to cry. Sasuke stopped.

"This is the end, isn't it?" He wondered.

"I guess. Maybe, I don't know." Kakashi answered.

They looked at each other. Sasuke thought that Kakashi looked very old.

"You know, I always wondered..." Sasuke started "When I had just married, you got really angry with me. I wondered if you were in l…"

Kakashi gazed at Sasuke with a blank expression.

"Never mind. I'll ask you someday." Sasuke decided.

"Sure… later."

"_When will you finally teach me how to throw shuriken?" A young Sasuke asked_

"_Sorry Sasuke. Tomorrow, okay?"_

Uchiha Sasuke didn't believe in the words "tomorrow" or "later" anymore…

"Good-bye, sensei." Sasuke said.

Student and sensei started to walk away.

"Sasuke." Kakashi called back. "I am sorry. It's over."

Sasuke looked back. Kakashi was looking at him with a poignant expression. He was going to answer his sensei when he started to feel dizzy. His vision fragmented into hundred of cells. His peripheral vision was copies of the same image. It wasn't the dark forest anymore. It was his old home. He was there, in his bed. All the visions as a kaleidoscope moved together into a new vision of the past. One of the many he had tried to forget.

"_Don't push yourself too hard. It's OK to be sick" Itachi told him,_

_Sasuke smiled as he saw Itachi looking after him. His father was working and his mother was shopping. He had been feeling sick for some time and he was running some high fever. His brother had volunteered to take care of him._

"_What are you reading?" Sasuke asked weakly._

"_It's a book about animals. You know how much I love reading." Itachi confessed "It's very interesting. Did you know that when a natural disaster is about to strike, the keen senses of animals sometimes allow them to escape death? …"_

Sasuke blinked. He looked around. Kakashi was looking at him with the same expression. That meant his illusion had been very brief this time. He felt something. The attack was swift and without warning. He avoided seven kunais, but the eight had his name. It hit Sasuke's shoulder

"Shit!" Sasuke cursed. He violently took out the kunai. He tried to look for the enemy as the fabric of reality started to shatter again

"…_However after the immediate threat there are more dangers: The scavengers like the vulture, the hyena or the jackal… All intent on preying on the weak when they are most vulnerable." Itachi was still explaining…_

«Not again! » He thought. Going crazy when he was about to get killed was a perfectly bad idea, another of his typical recent bad ideas.

Kakashi was still looking at him with the same expression. Sasuke understood that he had made a mistake. He had come out from his hiding place and he had allowed other ANBU to get close. Kakashi had trapped him good… He wasn't in any condition to fight…

"_Some animals will willingly gnaw off a limb to escape their aggressors." Itachi continued. He seemed enthusiastic about teaching this lesson to his brother "Others will wait for their aggressors to let their guard down to pounce. However at the end their overriding instinct is to flee. They don't have useless concepts like honor. Humans are different. They are taught that is not honorable to flee…"_

Sasuke blinked again. He barely had a glimpse of shadows coming closer at lighting speed... It was enough for him to avoid the blow and retaliate.

_Itachi paused with the explanation. He thought about his last words as he looked out of the window with a sad expression._

"_In a way, we come to like the fight…"_

Using Sasuke's brief distraction, one shinobi tried to pierce the Uchiha's face. A perfect strike in the chest sent one of his attackers flying away. He used the sharingan and he barely avoided one kunai that graced his forehead, adding another wound to the endless list. He managed to punch another enemy in the face, and there was a sound of a nose breaking.

The ANBUs were around him, restlessly assaulting him with a no-prisoner policy. Just then, with his energy waning, he felt a now familiar crawling sensation on his neck. The seal was struggling against his bonds, trying to claw its way free and sear its way across his flesh.

Some branches started to wrap around his feet. Sasuke jumped away, and he evaded other four kunais. He moved to the base of a tree. He tried to contain the seal while the rest of the ANBUs circled him. He counted more than ten, and probably more in the way as the pain in his back grew. That was the right moment to call for some time-out. Hell, it was the time to think about a major career change, before his head ended on somebody's belt.

An icy foreboding washed over his spine. He tried to leap into the air, but failed as his body was frozen in place, rooted to a shadow.

«Stupid, stupid, stupid. They are Leaf ANBU's. There was the possibility they had a member of the Nara clan. Fighting in the shadows of a tree… stupid» He thought.

Four shinobis dashed forward, their weapons pointed at him. He saw coming closer. He tried applying chakra to get away from the trap, but his mind was already leaving the battle, even as the kunais were going straight to his heart…

"_The law of Nature: animals need to adapt to the law of the strongest. Natural world continuously adopt new tactics for survival when the relation between prey and predator becomes immediate: Instinct over intellect, reaction over provocation and brutality over grace. In nature fights are about life and death. Even if the prey is about to die, they never give up. Animals aren't smart enough to surrender."_

"_Brother?" A feebly Sasuke asked from the bed. " I don't understand. You mean that I should act like an animal if I am fighting?"_

"_No." Itachi said. His words were kind, but Sasuke couldn't distinguish his features anymore. The fever was making him see shadows. For the first time he thought his brother could appear to be scary "If you are fighting, you don't have to act like an animal. You have to _become_ an animal."_

Kakashi walked away from the fight. His student who shared the same blood as his best friend was going to die. He didn't want to stay. He had failed as a…

An explosion of chakra made him turn around.

The tree near Sasuke had been pulverized. Four shinobis were in the ground, trying to get up after receiving a very violent counterattack. The ANBU member of the Nara clan was screaming as a kunai had gone through his right hand. Sasuke was standing up, totally covered by the seal. It was the first time Kakashi was seeing the seal acting with full force; the raw, pure energy surrounding him. Blood was still flowing from Sasuke's wounds and his eyes burned dangerously with pent up anger.

"This is my choice." He said glaring at his enemies and taking his last combat pill. He still had the second-level pill. He now knew he was ready to use it. He was filled by some kind of primitive joy. No more doubts. No more fear. "For my own selfish reasons, I can't die yet. I have to kill the brother I loved to avenge the family I loved. I don't expect you to understand my bitterness or my anger, but it's a duty I can't shrink away." He looked at them. Leaf's ANBU, his former comrades and now his enemies. He still had the sharingan to detect his enemies even in the darkness. Their number was increasing. The first-level seal's power was too short-lived. It wasn't enough. "Now get out of here or…" His words were clearly heard "I'll kill you."

The shinobis adopted a new position and got ready to strike. Sasuke smiled a wide psychotic grin as he put Orochimaru's pill on his mouth.

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Kisame felt like the bones in his arms were going to break as he returned to the cabin. After Itachi had "accidentally" killed Naruto, the rest of Akatsuki had been very angry. They knew demons couldn't be killed so easily, even if their hosts were destroyed. Along history, demons had been trapped into host bodies numerous times. The Jinchuuriki died sooner or later, whether old age or combat. The demons died with the jinchuuriki, but sooner or later they always returned.

It was a matter of time before the Kyubi returned, but Akatsuki's plans had been delayed. As punishment, both he and Itachi had been sent to a cabin, like children sent to their rooms for bad attitude.

Itachi hadn't objected. Actually, he had been making the most of the time. He had been constantly training with him and he wasn't going easy. If he didn't know his teammate any better, he would say Itachi was worried.

"There is an ill wind." Itachi observed, interrupting his thoughts.

"Uh?" Kisame asked. What wind? It was damn hot. He was thirsty, hungry and _hot_. There wasn't the slightest breeze. He was going to get sunburn! And it was all Itachi's fault! "Ill wind?"

"Something is coming." Itachi said and Kisame could feel the chilly tone in his words. "Something is coming."

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"There is an ill wind." Itachi observed, interrupting his thoughts. The Uchiha took a fan and started fanning himself "And it was damn time! I was hot!"

Kisame sweat-dropped.

* * *

This is it. Chapter 32. We have come a long way, haven't we?. I hope you like the way the story is going. I'm trying hard t write an interesting plot to keep you hooked up. Anybody can guess where does Sasuke's quote in the introductioncome from? Clue, it's a kind of well known book.

Did you like the references to animals as related to the stages of the fight? I thought it would be an interesting idea.

Again, I tried to show character development: Neji's cold logic, Ino's lingering feelings, Kakashi's regret...

I am aiming to reach 500 reviews by the time I end the story, so, if you liked the chapter, please send me a review (a little longer than the word "update", please) telling me what you liked, or what you disliked or even suggestions. Thank you very much. All the feedback helps me improve as I am still an amateur.


	33. Protection for the weak

**Chapter 32: Protection for the weak.**

"_This time I'll be the one to protect you. You better take a good luck at my back"_

Haruno Sakura.

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Sasuke kept the second level curse pill in his mouth. As soon as he was going to exhale his last breath he would swallow it as his desperate last gamble. He coldly regarded his enemies. He was weaponless. Another one of his brilliant ideas, no wonder he was called a genius. He had used his last combat pill. He would start suffering the effects of withdrawal in an hour at most

He grinned. Win or Die. If he got away from the trap he would go after Itachi. If he died, he would finally rest. He had one chance. He would rush forward and try to force his way out. Every second wasted decreased his chances of escape at the same time increasing the likelihood of more ANBU appearing.

The sky was a swirl of grey clouds amongst a black sky. Chakra started to gather in Sasuke's hand. Kakashi stood in his way and prepared to counter. Around his sensei the ANBU had their weapons ready. Sasuke started to move forward. It was time for the last fight. The only bad part about the situation is that he didn't get to smoke one last cigarette.

Abruptly a lighting strike illuminated the soon-to-be battlefield, and a massive shadow loomed over them. The shinobis quickly adopted a defense position against their new menace. A white tiger stood, looking at them with a disinterested expression. Somebody was on top of the tiger, staring at the young Uchiha.

Kakashi quickly recognized it as the white tiger that Sakura had learned to summon. That somebody with so few chakra reserves had managed to summon an animal of such a great amount of mass was an extraordinary feat.

"SASUKE!" An angry voice called out. Sasuke looked at the person riding the tiger. Once again, in a dark forest in a clouded night they met; Uchiha Sasuke, a boy who in the middle of the carnage had become a soldier with a tragic quest, and Uchiha Sakura, a girl that because of love had learned too much about pain.

Sasuke glanced at her and quickly looked away. Even when he had tried to stay in the Leaf, when every second had been hell, he had tried hard to avoid watching her wounds. They were symbols of his failure: He hadn't been able to protect her.

Sakura jumped from the tiger and stood in front of him. Sasuke didn't budge. He didn't look at her either. He was positive she could turn those green eyes into sharp blades that could carve deep into his soul.

"Everybody get out!" She yelled.

"What?" One of the ANBU asked.

"EVERYBODY GET OUT OF HERE!" She demanded.

Kakashi glanced at her, next he looked at the ANBU in charge of the mission.

"Let's get out of here. I accept all responsibility." He said. Zatoino, the ANBU captain nodded. He had been appointed by the Hokage as head of the mission, but Kakashi had saved his life a few times. Moreover in Sasuke's current state, there was no telling what the young Uchiha might do. People who have no will to live usually will try anything, no matter how farfetched and wild. Zatoino didn't want to be responsible for recklessly endangering the lives of his men, no matter how well equipped and trained they all were. Signaling his men, the other ANBU moved away. Obviously, they kept their ring around the two of them, but just out of earshot.

Sasuke and Sakura felt like if they were alone, two binary stars in an empty universe.

"You shouldn't have come." Sasuke observed. He didn't want Sakura to see the darkest part of him. He tried to use his will to keep the seal in check… and failed. Sakura wordlessly got closer at him. He wanted her to back off, walk away and leave him to his solitary agony.

Finally she stood near him. He still wasn't looking at her. So there was no way he could avoid the punch that surprised him. He staggered and she punched him again in the gut. He was already expecting the third attack, but he couldn't raise an arm to protect himself. A well-directed hit knocked him down. The pill fell from his mouth.

He got up. He still refused to look at her but at least the curse seal was gone.

"Look at me." She ordered.

Sasuke thought about a way of explaining her why he didn't dare to look at her. One of the main reasons he had ran away was because it was torture to see her blind in one eye. It was his fault, if he had been stronger, he would have protected her… if he had more power…

"Look at me!" She repeated. She grabbed his face and forced him to look at her by sheer violence. He jolted. Looking at him were two angry emerald eyes.

"H-H-How…?" He moved a frightened hand around her face. Her right eye stood unmoving. "It's fake" He understood. Deception clearly heard in his voice.

"I got it four days ago. It looks real."

"It's still a fake." He countered. Fake like her right leg.

"At least I got you to look at me without you looking away in pain." She observed. The light tone of her words deceived the hard words. He lowered his head.

"I told you we had to break up." He whispered.

"I know what you said. It won't work. I won't go away that easy. I know how you feel about me. So stop the act."

Sasuke didn't answer. Sakura could never tell whether his eyes were vexed or revolted when he was serious like that. It was almost better when the anger or pain made his eyes honest.

"I am sorry Sakura. I've already made up my mind." He coldly said

"And what's your plan then? To force your way out of here? There are at least fifty jounins here. They'll kill you!"

"A possibility" He admitted shrugging. She slapped him again, and this time it really stung.

"Why won't you understand? I prefer to die rather than losing you!" She yelled.

"It's you who doesn't understand. I'm dead. People around me _die_." Long pause. "I am better alone. I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you. "

"If you are going to hurt me, then hurt me" She said getting even closer.

Sasuke didn't move, but he didn't back away either.

"I won't let my team mates die" She quoted. Sasuke violently shuddered.

"This isn't about me. It's about Naruto isn't it?"

"Why are you talking about him!" Sasuke yelled startling her. He continued with a more relaxed voice. "It's not about Naruto. That idiot got himself killed. I…"

Another slap interrupted him.

"Don't talk like that about your best friend." She ordered.

"HE'S DEAD! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME BUT HE'S DEAD!"

Sasuke's words seemed to echo endlessly in the silence that had now gripped the forest. His breathing faltered, but didn't say anything else.

"No one blames you for what happened."

"You don't know anything." He hissed. "I was…" His words faded.

"You what?"

The tired soldier turned around, intending to get out of there. Sakura grabbed him and forcefully turned him around.

"You _what_?"

Sakura waited. After minutes of silence, the boy finally resigned himself to speech.

"… I was… late… I arrived there. They were fighting, Naruto and _him_. I saw _him_; I saw his blade getting closer to Naruto. I ran." Sasuke closed his eyes. He was there again, with Naruto smiling at him and getting his guard down. Itachi, the remorseless creature bound by him by the threads of blood and fate, was ready; his terrible aura again moving forward. His best friend was unaware. Before his words could make it to his throat he was already running… One lifetime ago he had ran and saved Naruto's life, even stopping all the needles with his own body. So he ran again, only to arrive too late, only to fail. "I'd have stopped it… I would have… but… I… I… couldn't… I… Naruto was… His head… flying… I was hugging his body and wondering… why the head was missing and… and…" He was trembling as he covered his face with his hands

Sakura then unexpectedly hugged him. He struggled to get away.

"It's fine. Even if it's just today, it's fine. Trust me." She murmured.

"I… I... " A tear was struggling to leak from his eye. The other eye was starting to moisten

"It's fine" She repeated softly, her commands hypnotic to the stoic man that always so desperately struggled to keep his guard up and his feelings under control.

And Uchiha Sasuke, the self-proclaimed avenger, jounin of the Hidden Leaf, strongest of the new batch of ANBU and presently a missing-nin, started to sob, losing himself into her arms. Their embrace released his pent-up demons, frustration and self-loathing anguish.

He quietly sobbed barely making any noise, still clinging to her like he was clinging to life itself. In many ways he was. The last time he had cried he had been seven years old, the day after he had come out from his sharingan-induced coma. Since that day he had started his revenge, passion and rage as fuel, fear and vengeance as destination. He was always courting death as a lover, like a firefly dancing for its death around an unforgiving flame.

"I should have died." He whispered between sobs. He didn't even know if he was referring at that time when he failed to save Naruto, or maybe that time when his brother stood over the bodies of his parents. Maybe he shouldn't even have been born.

"No. To die is easy. But you must struggle for life. Until that last moment we must struggle together. And _together_, we will survive. No matter how bad it is, I'm with you. We will move forward together." Sakura firmly said.

The two stood still. They were nothing but two shadows embracing in the dark of the night as the wind rustled through the leaves of the trees.

Both Kakashi and Zatoino were wearing night-binoculars. The visibility wasn't perfectly clear, but they could see the shivering Uchiha being hugged by Sakura.

"I can't believe he is really crying." Zatoino commented. It looked somehow disturbing.

"Why not? After all, he's just a kid, not yet sixteen." Kakashi answered "Sure a surprisingly mature child, haunted by bitterness and guilt; but still, he's just a kid."

"A kid…?" Zatoino wondered. He had seen the young Uchiha in action. He had been deadly effective, mortally serious, dead-silent… He just couldn't think of him as a _kid._ "Sorry, I've read his profile. I don't think he's _just_ a kid."

"No. He's just a _lonely_ kid. When others spoke about dreams, he only spoke about his curse. When others had friends, he was afraid of even getting close to other people. When his family was killed, he only moved forward and forward as fast as he could, trying to keep from ever looking back. When his best friend died at the hands of his brother in front of his eyes, he just kept pushing ahead. However at the end, he's just a kid who has suffered too much." He concluded as he resumed his watch of his two young students.

Still hugging Sakura, Sasuke hastily rubbed the rest of the tears away with the palm of his hand. He was feeling warm, for the first time since the person with the goofy smile stopped smiling forever.

"I am not very good at needing somebody. I have always tried to do things alone" He tried to explain.

"Maybe, but now you have me. Sasuke, I love you."

"I love you too." Sasuke admitted. He tried to put in words his feelings. He didn't mind admitting just to himself his own mistakes. His problem was with the "admitting it aloud" part. "I wanted you to hate me. I thought it would be better than me hurting you. I was a fool."

"You were." She didn't like Sasuke talking like this, like a kid in a confessional. Still, she knew he _had_ to get it out of his system.

"I should have tried talking it with you."

"Of course."

"I feel like dirt."

"You should."

"I'm sorry." Sasuke pleaded "Will you ever forgive me?"

"Kiss me and I'll think about it."

Onyx and emerald met a second before their lips. They forgot to breathe as their lips melted. They looked at each other. Even in the darkness, they could see each other smiling, their faces glowing with happiness. Green fireflies illuminated them.

"Sasuke, we are going home." Sakura tenderly announced. She helped him on the white tiger, which had remained inconspicuous during the whole exchange. He held onto her. Just her touch soothed him. Sakura realized that he was burning with fever.

Immediately the tiger took them to the edge of the ANBU siege, straight where Kakashi was standing. The tiger jumped over him and as he watched his two students in the air he wished they could fly away. Orochimaru, Itachi, the Leaf, the Sound, revenge, honor, good, evil, vengeance… they would be happy if they could be away from everything that was tying them down… However as shinobis from the Leaf, they would be hunted if they tried to escape.

They were going in a straight line to the Leaf.

"So now what?" Zatoino wondered.

Kakashi sighed.

"Now you'd do me a great favor if you stayed around for a while, and let me go back to the Leaf first. Sasuke still went AWOL. It'd be uncool if he were to be back just to be executed."

"Sorry, I can't back you up there." Zatoino explained. "My orders were to bring him back dead or alive. I can't just let him arrive alone in the Leaf"

"You still owe me one for that time in Rock country. Killing those innocent villagers was a very high security risk." Kakashi answered glaring at his former ANBU team-mate.

Both shinobis locked glares for one second. Just one second.

"I'll have my men looking at the clouds for twenty-four hours. That's all I can do." Zatoino decided

"Thanks." Kakashi answered as he got ready to run.

"I fell sorry for the girl. That Sasuke will not stop with his revenge. That kind of people never know when to give up."

"That's the training we give them." Kakashi admitted, as he ran after the white tiger.

The second-level curse pill lied there, forgotten.

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The trembling had started one hour after they had left the forest. Sakura knew that Sasuke had become addicted to the combat pills. She didn't think it could be _that_ bad. Six hours after they had started their travel back Sasuke barely had any control left over his motor skills.

The guards in the Leaf were very stunned when they saw the white tiger, almost as much as when they saw the Uchiha missing-nin.

She didn't offer any explanation as she raced straight to her home. She estimated that the Hokage would know about her arriving with Sasuke in twenty minutes. In twenty-five an ANBU squad would be knocking on her door. She had to proceed fast.

She carried Sasuke inside. He was trying to put an act of being tough, but he could barely move. They entered the secret tunnel that extender under the Uchiha district. An involuntary groan escaped from his mouth as she put him down. She looked at him. She needed to make a deal with the Hokage, but she was reluctant to leave him alone.

"There are ten ANBU around your house" Somebody with a relaxed voice observed.

Sakura spun around grabbing a kunai.

"Hinata?"

The white-eyed shinobi smiled a warm, disarming smile. Sakura hasn't seen Hinata smiled since Naruto had died. Still, she didn't have time to waste thinking about it.

"I need to make a deal with the Hokage. Could you take care of Sasuke for me for some minutes?"

"I'll do it" She said immediately with her charming smile.

"If the ANBU storm off the house I don't think they will be able to find the tunnel… If they do… I can't ask you to…"

"I'll hide him and protect him with my life. Sasuke and you are my good friends." Hinata interrupted. "You helped me when I was in trouble. I'll help you. I don't _forget_."

The last word struck a weak cord in Sasuke's memory. Sakura nodded. She kissed Sasuke again and quickly left. Hinata smiled at Sasuke. It wasn't the same smile as before. It was harder, colder.

"I didn't expect you to be back, Sasuke-kun." Even the "–kun" sounded mocking "Did she force you or have you have come on your own?"

"I guess she forced me, but that's ok. It's time I talk to Naruto. I still have to visit his grave."

"I visited it two days ago. It was my first time since the funeral." She talked, almost to herself. "I finally decided my path."

Sasuke's eyes opened to the maximum. He ever so slowly glanced at her shinobi companion. For a second his tired senses showed him a ghost. The black clothes that Hinata had worn since Naruto's death suddenly seemed dangerous and threatening.

Sasuke shakily rose to his feet. There were many people that had been angry with him after he came back bringing news of Naruto's death. Not only his brother had been the murderer, but he had appeared without any injuries

The Hokage was one of them.

"You finally decided on what?" He asked as he collapsed again. He was too weak to fight.

"On many things: My path on life, my future, my way of living, and above all, about my _hate_." Hinata monotonously commented.

Hate was useless. Revenge was useless. Sasuke hadn't wanted anybody walking his path to hell. He also had known how easy to manipulate were people with their hearts broken. He had experienced it first-hand.

"_Kill me." Sasuke ordered_

"_What?" Hinata asked._

"_If you are truly committed to the path of revenge, you must kill me. I am the one responsible for the death of Naruto, anyway. I was too weak to save him." Long breadth "If you kill me you will become an outlaw. That way your path will be set. You won't be able to run away. My brother will also hear about my death. Maybe he will concede you a few seconds of his time to kill you. Are you ready to harden your heart and kill me?"_

"Is that so?" Sasuke asked. He had wanted to concentrate Hinata's confusion and hate in him. That way she wouldn't do anything stupid like chasing Itachi on her own like Gaara.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time.

Hinata wordlessly put on his ANBU mask. She wasn't Hinata anymore. She was Little Mouse, rookie ANBU member.

She was also holding a kunai.

---------

Kisame was following Itachi. They were supposed to be team-mates, but Itachi never shared his opinions with him. After he had mentioned that there was some wind (he still didn't know which wind that idiot was speaking about. It had been a damn sticky hot day), he had said "Come". He had followed, even when Akatsuki's clear orders were to lay low in there. Why? He wasn't sure. Fear of Itachi? Emotion of the carnage that was sure to appear whenever his brooding team-mate was acting strange?

At first he imagined that they were going after somebody. That was fine. What was the point of living if you couldn't kill anybody? He got cranky if he spent even one day without slaying anybody. He would even start to gain weight after a week without any massacre.

Only after they had travelled for one full day in a zigzag pattern with Itachi carefully erasing their tracks, he started to think that they were fleeing from something. That meant that Uchiha Itachi was running away from something.

That wasn't fine.

No, it wasn't fine at all.

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OMAKE

"Come" Itachi said. Kisame followed. They crossed rivers and mountains, meadows and oceans, plains and cordilleras.

"Come" Itachi said. Kisame followed. Mighty armies fell against their power. Invincible warriors were killed.

"Come" Itachi said. Kisame followed. They coursed through the valley of death and fought against Cerberus and Hades.

"Come" Itachi said. Kisame followed. Empires crumbled. Countries ceased to exist. A million lives were lost.

"Come" A naked Itachi said from the bed. "Sweety" He added with a wink

"AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHH!" Kisame answered and he didn't stop till reaching the other side of the world.

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It has been a long time since I last updated this chapter. I'd like to promise you something: This chapter it's going to be finished. I usually hate when writers leave their stories unfinished, betraying all the fans that have been loyally following for a long time.

So, don't worry. I promise you the story will be finished. Don't forget to send some feedback about your opinions on this fic.

As you can see, the plot of this story is quite complex. First we have the relationship between Sakura and Sasuke. However Sasuke doesn't seem interested in ending his dream/curse/mission/whatever. Also, we have some characters that seem to have missions of their own, like Hinata and Itachi, and don't seem interested in giving them up.

Well, if you are liking this story, I'll say the famous words from the song of Frank Sinatra "You haven't seen anything yet".

When I write my characters, I like to write them with flaws and three-dimensional. I totally HATE mary-sues. There are many writers that make their main characters perfect, with everybody friendly and in awe of the main character. All the secondary characters' personalities are subordinated to that of the main character. I dislike that. In my fiction, there are many characters with conflicting agendas and reasons of their own.

I also dislike character-bashing. Some writers seem obsessed with pointing out only all the bad points of the characters they hate. They don't seem to mind if the writing suffers as a result. It's a pity they waste their time. I admit there are some characters I profoundly dislike, but you would never guess who from my writing. When I write about a character, I try to point out both the good and the bad points.

Well, that's all folks. If you liked/disliked this chapter, don't forget to write. I still have my goal of reaching the 500 reviews.

Peace


	34. The Time of Healing

**Chapter 34: The Time of Healing.**

"_Medics must remember to tell the soldiers that they need to rest so they can be strong to kill again"_

The Fifth: Tsunade of the Leaf.

_------------_

Sasuke wasn't feeling happy. He had pictured himself coming back to the Leaf in chains or dead. He had never thought that Sakura would be able to convince him to come back. And he had never thought, not even in his wildest dreams, that less than ten minutes after coming back to the Leaf he would be standing near a vengeful Hinata, or rather, near a vengeful ANBU killer, codename Little Mouse.

"If you found your path, would you mind sharing it with me?" Sasuke asked calmly, glancing at Hinata's kunai. He would need to kill the white-eyed shinobi. He didn't have any more pills and his senses were going to betray him very soon. He would need to bet it all in one single attack as soon as she tried to attack him.

Little Mouse didn't move for a few seconds. Suddenly she stabbed herself in the face. In front of Sasuke's surprised eyes, she let the mask fall to the floor. With a bleeding face she stepped over the mask, smashing it in random pieces.

Sasuke wordlessly stared at Little Mouse… no. He was staring at Hinata. Her wound was slowly bleeding blood.

"Sasuke-kun. I can't follow your path of revenge. It's not that I don't understand your hate, but I am not like you. Wasting my life away it's not what Naruto would have liked. I am quitting the ANBU. I just don't like killing other people." She explained as the blood was running down her face.

"Are you sure?" Sasuke asked fairly. Among the ones with bloodlines leaving the shinobi career meant ostracism. The Leaf instilled a pride of purpose and duty that made the ancient Spartans look like sissies. From the day they were born everything they heard or saw reaffirmed them about the importance and honor of being a hired killer.

"That's my shinobi way. I am going to become a medic-nin. I know I can heal people better than hurting them." She resolutely announced while se gathered chakra in her hands and healed the wound.

Sasuke sighed.

"I hate women. They are all annoying. They act life if they were weaker than men, and as soon as you don't expect anything, they prove that they are superior than us."

"The Uchiha clan is famed for their ability to copy techniques. Do the same as me. Let go of the hate. It's not worth losing Sakura for Itachi" She pleaded.

"A few moments each year, I wonder if it's worth it." Sasuke recognized "The rest of the time I perfectly know it's not worth it at all…"

"But…" Hinata started.

"Not even death will stop me in my duty. I will make the spirits of my family and Naruto rest." He concluded.

"You love them very much, Sasuke-kun." Hinata admitted "I just hope that love doesn't cause any more tears.

"Me too. Me too."

--------------

Sakura entered the Intelligence Division, where the Hokage office was located. She knew that Sasuke had become a missing-nin. The first question was how much the Leaf could prove. The second was how much did the Hokage blame Sasuke for the death of Naruto.

She had to strike a deal somehow. Sasuke was still one of the strongest rookie ANBUs. His death would be also a loss for the Leaf's. He was also the head of the famous Uchiha clan, former protector of the Leaf. In case of a trial, he still had that fame. She was a naturally social person and she had a lot of friends among the Genins and Chuunins. Still, she was unsure how many favors she could call for.

Shizune immediately let Sakura enter. The Hokage, leader of the Leaf village, one of the major powers of the region, successor of the legendary Fourth, defender of the lives of the Leaf, head of the ANBU armed forces, decorated commander during the last Hidden war, expert creator of antidotes and one of the best medic-nins alive, was very _strongly_ reeking of sake. Sakura noticed that on her desk besides the usual pictures of her deceased boyfriend and brother, there was a new addition. A picture of the person that once loudly proclaimed himself the future Hokage.

"Hokage-sama. I have good news. I have found Sasuke and we have come back together. It was all a big misunderstanding." She said with a fake confidence. She was being careful twisting the facts.

"It's useless" the Hokage mumbled "Sasuke is a missing-nin to the Leaf. He will be tried and convicted for the charges of treason."

Sakura felt as if she had been physically hit. She made an effort to relax. As in cue, a memory of a happier time a lifetime ago appeared.

_The mood was peaceful. Sakura was reading a book and Sasuke was checking one old wound. Sakura started to laugh._

"_What's up?"_

"_I was remembering how you managed to force the Hokage to marry us. I am reading the law. You tricked her. She could have perfectly forced us _not_ to marry."_

_Sasuke smirked._

"_It was all initiative. I knew I was in a weaker position than the Hokage. I just didn't let her know" He explained "I struggled to be in control all the time. I was always one step ahead of her."_

"Is the council going to judge him, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know" Tsunade shrugged "I guess."

"In that case I have two requests. The first one is to be included in the council in time for the trial" She said, being careful not to sound arrogant.

"What are you talking about?"

"According to the law passed by the First, each of the ten original clans from the time of the founding of the council has the right to appoint one representative. Since the great massacre of the Uchiha clan, there has been one missing spot. Now, as member of the Uchiha clan, I request to be in the council of the Leaf."

Sakura knew that her request could be delayed for a long time, but that was fine. It was just part of the famous Uchiha tactic: First the threat, next the carrot. Sakura quickly added "That's my first request."

The Hokage didn't react. Sakura felt panic. Everything would be lost if the Hokage didn't ask or if she got angry and threw her out.

"What is your second request?" Tsunade finally asked.

"Please, I want to be your apprentice." She humbly said.

The Hokage knew she was a good leader. She had being appointed by the council, but if she didn't any leadership abilities, she would have been ousted from office a long time ago. She immediately understood Sakura's deal. Sakura was offering her loyalty. There were some Councillors that didn't support her policies. The council's powers were limited, but they had a lot of pull among the clans. Sakura was offering to be her loyal follower and spy inside the council. Not to mention that there was a shortage of medic-nins. Sakura could be an excellent healer.

All that in exchange of forgiveness for Sasuke.

"I'm sorry Sakura. I already got reports that establish that Sasuke avoided the hunter-nins for almost one week. I can't just forgive and forget that."

"As I said that was a misunderstanding" Sakura lied with a relaxed face "Sasuke told me that he needed some time off, and that was the reason he left the Leaf without permission. He just forgot about telling anybody else. We were tricked by a fake Kakashi some months ago and Sasuke recently fought the Four Sound, so he thought that those ANBU were actually Sound shinobis."

"You expect me to believe that?" Tsunade asked incredulously.

"It's true" Somebody said. Suddenly there was something blocking the window's light.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Kakashi, what are you talking about?" Tsunade demanded to know.

"I talked with Sasuke. He thought I was a Sound shinobi. He asked me two questions about things that only I could know about, but I failed to remember them. I am sorry. I am afraid it was all a big stupid mistake. He was coming back to the Leaf when I found him. We could have solved everything by talking, but I thought it would be easier to capture him to convince him that we were not Sound shinobis." He explained, sounding totally convincing.

Sakura would have kissed Kakashi in that very moment. Her sensei looked at her, and she remembered those words that Kakashi had said long ago. _"Those who fail the mission are worthless. But those who betray their friends...they are worse than trash_" Kakashi wasn't only their sensei. He was their friend, always looking from afar, always caring and worrying for them.

Her distraction was cut short with the sound of Tsunade's hands smashing on the desk as she stood up. The picture of Naruto fell to the ground.

"Do you think I am _that_ stupid?" Tsunade yelled.

"It's the truth. I hold myself responsible for all this confusion." The sound of Kakashi's voice was almost too clear "As a matter of fact, if Sasuke were to be executed because of my oversight, I'd need to prove my loyalty to my student and to the Leaf by taking my own life."

Tsunade and Sakura stood dumbfounded.

"Kakashi-sensei, I can't…"

"Damn it!" Tsunade interrupted. "Enough! Fine!" Short breath. "Fine. There won't be any trial. As Hokage I order Sasuke to be confined inside the Leaf for two months under surveillance and he will undergo a psyche-evaluation. There will be no further punishment. Sakura, I expect you won't take back your requests."

"Of course not" Sakura affirmed. In that moment she would have sold her soul to the devil. She had to stop herself from hugging the stern woman in front of her.

"Come to my office tomorrow and we will start the medical training. I warn you it will be a lot of hard work. Kakashi, now that you are free I have a _looong_ mission which is _just_ for you."

"Thank you very much, Hokage-sama" Sakura thanked taking her leave. She couldn't wait to run to Sasuke to tell him the good news.

Tsunade waited till Sakura had disappeared. Then she turned towards Kakashi.

"A long mission?" Kakashi asked

"A big misunderstanding? Taking your own life?"

"The last part was at least true." Kakashi confessed "So what now?"

"I am the Hokage. I can't take my word back. Pity! His death would have been a good way of solving a lot of problems. And also" She turned to Kakashi "It would solve a upcoming problem."

Kakashi nodded with a worried look.

"Sakura is the one that is giving Sasuke strength. That is the reason they must be torn apart soon, before it's too late" Tsunade continued saying.

"I know."

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Sasuke took the information about his small punishment with indifference. "Aa" was everything he said with his usual loquacity.

For the next days the inhabitants of the Leaf saw a very relaxed Sasuke. They saw him going shopping with Sakura; they saw him apologizing to every single ANBU member that he had hit; they saw him undergoing a psyche evaluation (which surprisingly showed as his main problems his refusal of violence as a solution and his strong shyness. The psychiatrists concluded Sasuke was making a fool of them); they even saw him talking to the Hokage and promising to follow her orders without hesitation.

"Congratulations Sakura; you have convinced the Hokage to lower Sasuke's punishment to only one month." Kakashi commented after their meeting with the Hokage "I'd like to talk to Sasuke and apologize for the trap with the ANBU in the forest. I purposely walked alone to make him appear and talk to me while the rest of the ANBU surrounded him."

"Sure. I'll leave you alone." Sakura said. Sasuke blushed and looked down.

"Actually, I'd like to talk to the _real_ Sasuke. The Sasuke I know never blushes. You may be able to fool the Psychiatrists but not your sensei."

Sakura and "Sasuke" exchanged glances.

"Have you said this to anyone else?" Sakura asked

"Of course not."

Sakura smiled. As always, Kakashi wasn't only their sensei, but also a friend. When Sasuke had joined the ANBU and started going on missions compulsively, she had felt somehow lost. She then had started to train and Kakashi had convinced her to learn to summon a creature.

"You are too vigilant, Sensei. Give him two weeks. He is getting his strength back. He needs some time to recover."

Kakashi nodded in perfect understanding.

"Don't worry about anything though. He has already forgiven you, if there was ever anything to forgive." Sakura added.

"At the end, Sasuke is still too young. Tell him that he is just a beginner at the game of deception." Kakashi stated.

The effects of the pill didn't last very long. The trembling had started not too long after. The violent need for another pill had come shortly afterwards.

There were many helpful withdrawal treatments. However Sasuke had his pride, and he didn't want anybody to look at him with pity. There were also tactical reasons for hiding. Sasuke wanted to be back into active ANBU duty as soon as possible. If it were known that Sasuke had needed treatment for his pill addiction maybe he would be kicked out of the ANBU forever. Even if the ANBU that had watched Sasuke knew he was taking pills for extra-energy, they didn't know the addiction had gotten out of control.

Sakura took another approach: She locked Sasuke up in a cage inside the tunnel to make sure he couldn't get another pill. Sasuke had to agree it was a good idea. Besides, it was effective, and he loved effectiveness. He voiced his complaints only when Sakura said that she was going to stay frequently inside the cage. It had been built by the Uchiha clan ages ago for crimes committed by members of their clan. As any important organization, the clan had preferred to keep their secrets inside the family. It had been built with unknown materials sturdy enough to keep their elite shinobis inside.

Sakura and Hinata entered the tunnel and saw that the actual dweller of the cage had a blanket around him and he couldn't stop shaking. He had his arms crossed tightly and his right hand was bleeding.

"You ok? What happened to your hand?" Sakura asked quickly.

"I'm not sure." Sasuke confessed weakly. "I… guess I tried to escape… I blacked out for just a second. Damn! It feels like ants are crawling everywhere under my skin."

"It's fine. I'll take care of you." Sakura promised opening the lock of the door and entering the cage. Hinata locked the door behind them.

"Damn it! Sakura, I am not feeling well. I may become violent. I'm trying to stop the addiction and it's not easy. I may be dangerous. Will you _please _stop trying to stay with me?"

"Do you really want to be out here alone to go through this?"

"I..." He began "It doesn't matter what I want. I'm trying to act rationally."

"It _does_ matter what you want. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to be alone, Sasuke" She spoke quietly, so that only he could hear. "The gods know I understand that much."

"Hinata, will you ask Sakura to stop acting stupid?" He pleaded.

"I already told her and she didn't listen to me. I told you to stop your revenge and you didn't listen to me. Is being stubborn an occupation hazard of being an Uchiha, or just a prerequisite?" Hinata wondered.

"I hate you all" Sasuke decided.

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Kicking the habit is always hard, as anybody with an addiction could say. Kicking a violent addiction is even harder. Sasuke puked everything Sakura tried to feed him over and over, sometimes inside the washbasin and usually outside. He was delirious sometimes; most of the time he was travelling between the land of the awake and the realm of nightmares. And yes, sometimes he would get angry with her. Afterwards he would have broken recollections of the first days, but he knew that he never laid a hand on her. He knew that much.

Days passed.

Sometimes he would awake from a particularly bad nightmare covered in sweat only to find Sakura soothing him "Shhh. Everything is going to be fine. You will make it. Don't worry. Don't worry." She repeated over and over. It was only then that he could sleep.

Days passed.

"Don't you have any…? No. Please forget that question." He almost asked the question that had been in the tip of his tongue for days at the end of the first week of confinement.

"I threw them all away." She stated, and that was the only time she had to say it.

Days passed.

They talked a lot. There were few alternatives, anyway. Usually Sakura did most of the talking.

"The faster you move, the more your past drags you. You are killing yourself. You need to make peace with yourself; accept yourself.

Days passed.

"Sakura, I am already able to feed myself." He complained while she was feeding him with a spoon. "I am not that weak."

"It's ok. I don't mind."

"You like taking care of me." He observed.

"I love it." Sakura answered with a grin.

Sasuke grinned back. It was the first time they smiled at the same time.

That night he slept for the first time since the confinement without any nightmares. He slept the sleep of the just. The just _really_ exhausted, that is.

Things improved quickly from that day. The shaking stopped. The terrible need to take another pill, just another, just a little bit… ended. Sasuke started to exercise, against Sakura's opinion that wanted him to rest a little more.

The day finally came when Sakura decided Sasuke was healthy enough to leave the cage. It was more than one month after entering the tunnel, when he emerged back, blinking at the sun. He looked around, unsure how to proceed.

"Remember how to breathe. It's simple." Sakura recommended, leaving first their house like a guide dog showing the blind the way.

Sasuke hugged her from behind.

"Sakura, I am not very good at thanking people." Sasuke stated "I just… wanted to say that… thank you… I… I was lost before I found you."

Sakura turned around. She thought that sometimes words can become cumbersome, awkward… stand in the way of expression. Fortunately, she mentally added hugging her husband, they sometimes can be forsaken.

Sasuke wanted to ask a certain "lying soon-to-be-dead fortuneteller" a few things, but the first place he visited was one he hadn't when he had too. He had never dared to. It was the grave of his best friend. Only parts of his ashes were there, but it was enough.

"Oi, Idiot. How are you doing?" Sasuke asked. He sat down, looking at the clouds. "I am sorry for taking so long to arrive. I was too busy trying to destroy myself. Sakura saved me. I bet you would have done the same stupid thing. Idiots! I vowed a pledge to kill Itachi a long time ago, even at the cost of my life, but I never counted on annoying people who wanted to keep me alive. You two were the last thing I needed, and the thing I needed the most."

He sighed.

"I am sorry for all the times I mocked you; I was envious of you because your dream was pure. So…"

He kneeled in front of the grave.

"Hokage-sama. I request permission to have a long talk with you." He said, referring to his best friend. He would never refer to Tsunade as "Hokage-sama" anymore.

And a long one-sided conversation started.

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Sakura had waited the whole day for Sasuke to come back. She had known Sasuke would need time to grieve alone. It was dusk when she finally decided to go. She found him in front of Naruto's grave. He was leaning in the gravestone. His eyes were red.

"Sasuke. Are you all right?" She softly asked as she leaned on him. She off-handedly thought that she was lucky. She was witnessing the second time Sasuke had cried in the last eight years.

"I am better. Much better. I have been thinking... I think it's time…"

"What's wrong?"

"I think it's time I told you about the original Uchiha tragedy."

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Kisame and Itachi had been traveling fast. Kisame had noticed that Itachi was restless. He couldn't fathom why. Surely two Akatsuki members could kill any enemy.

At the beginning of the third week he traveled straight to the Leaf village without bothering to erase the tracks. Kisame was exuberant. Finally they were going to slaughter somebody! Surely burning the Leaf to the ground would erase the boredom.

Instead Itachi went to a burnt clearing in the forest, almost to a spitting distance to the village. The Uchiha mentioned something about an old training place, and to Kisame's desperation, they left.

Then they moved to Rain Country. Itachi instructed Kisame to make a trail for both of them, and he disappeared. Kisame was dumb-founded. He had disappeared without making any tracks. Even his scent was gone. Why were they running away then...? Hold up. Was Itachi implying that he, Kisame, one of the strongest members of the seven swordsmen couldn't erase his trail? Of course he could, He could be invisible if he wanted! Damn genius! What the…? They hadn't decided on a meeting point! When they supposed to meet? And where? What was he supposed to tell the other Akatsuki members?

Three weeks later Kisame was preparing dinner and was feeling depressed. He was itching to slaughter somebody. He hadn't even been able to torture the squirrel he had hunted for dinner before it died.

When he looked up front the fire Itachi was in front of him. He hadn't heard or felt anything before the Uchiha had appeared.

"Could you stop doing that?"

Itachi stared at the fire for some minutes.

"The place where I used to train near Leaf Village. It was burnt. The place was too scorched and at the same time very contained in only one place. It was probably my foolish little brother. He probably thought that fire could clean my presence. But nothing can clean the blood." Itachi commented with his clear voice.

"Are you off the deep end or something?" Kisame disrespectfully wondered.

"Kisame, do you believe in the afterlife?"

"No way. I mean, if there was afterlife that'd mean there is some kind of higher power or something. In that case any higher power would try to destroy the lesser forms of life. I am not saying _I_ am the lesser form. I am in the highest in the food scale. It's not that I am a higher power... Shit! I messed up! What were we talking about?"

"I was wondering if exist such a thing called… redemption."

"_No way_! If there was such a thing you would need to feel sorry first. Hey, who are we in the first place? We are outcasts. Uchiha Itachi, genius of the Leaf, let me tell you my life story." He stood up, proudly showing his huge sword. "I tried to be the best from the moment I was born. I trained and struggled for years till I became one of the seven swordsmen, the strongest of the Leaf. I trained to be the best. One day I wondered what the whole point of all my hard work was. They taught me how to be the best. Then my own superiors didn't want me to reach my whole potential. They got scared of my progress. They wanted to control me. I decided to break the chains of servitude. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny. For my own choice I am an outsider, a pariah. Maybe one day I'll die executed by hunter-nins. Maybe I'll die at the hands of my enemies. And I don't care; because that's the way I choose to live my life. And you, Itachi, "He added pointing his sword toward Itachi's face." even if you barely speak to me, I know you are exactly like me. You will never get redemption because you don't repent about your past, because you would redo it all over again if you could."

Itachi slowly smiled.

"Thanks Kisame. I was feeling a little down, and that's quite unusual from me. I am feeling better. Now we can fight the enemy that has been tracking us down. Considering the amount of chakra it's emitting, it must be jinchuurinki."

"A jinchuurinki? You mean a demon recipient? A jinchuurinki has been following us? When were you planning to tell me?"

Itachi glanced at his team-mate with an innocent expression in his face.

"You didn't ask."

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OMAKE

"What are the symptoms of pill addiction?" Sakura asked from inside the cage to Hinata which was waiting outside. Sasuke was trembling.

"Dizziness, nausea, shooting pain, illusions…" Hinata started, then she faltered "and… uh, oh"

"Uh, oh?" Sakura repeated

"Dizziness, nausea, shooting pain, illusions… and… diarrhea."

"Uh, oh" Sakura agreed

Suddenly there was a weird sound coming from the place where Sasuke was lying.

"Uh, oh!" Sakura and Hinata exclaimed simultaneously.

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A/N: Ladies and gentlement, here is the next installment of the story. As always, don't forget to leave a review as I still have the objective of 500 reviews.

Yes, next chapter, the terrible story of the original Uchiha Tragedy will be told. (yep, this time Sakura will not say she doesn't want to hear, promise) Also, the mysterious and manipulative fortune-teller Kikkyo will make another appearance. The introduction to the story "Fighting against a haunting past and a tragic destiny, a love that doesn't have the right to exist struggles to survive..." will finally be fully explained.

Who is the mysterious jinchuurinki tracking Itachi down? Will there be a fight? What is that upcoming problem Tsunade and Kakashi were talking about? And what is Orochimaru doing will the story keeps moving forward? All the answers will be revealed in the next chapter of The Uchiha Tragedy (sound of music fading in the background)

I want to thank all my reviewers that keep saying that my writing has improved greatly. I'd like to acknowledge the hard work of my beta-tester, which is responsible for the improvement. Her kind advise and reviews have helped me a lot.


	35. The Original Uchiha Tragedy

**Chapter 35: The Original Uchiha tragedy.**

"_Tragedies are the story of the insoluble. They are born from pure actions, be in intention or emotion, done with the best of reasons…but all tragedies end the same way_"

Uchiha Itachi

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Sasuke was sitting on the ground with Sakura near him. Naruto's grave was the third corner in the triangle, done purposely to symbolize that because the three of them were a triangle: All for one, and one for all. Alive or dead, it didn't matter. They would always draw strength for each other.

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Like most tragedies, the one of the Uchiha clan started out with two people falling in love. Their names were Hyuga Mirika, a young woman from the famed Hyuga clan and Mochizuki Hijiko, a man from a small, almost unknown clan. Mirika belonged to the Huyga's branch house, and maybe that fact, was the single most important reason that created the tragedy.

The Hyuga clan was as it is now, the most powerful clan of the region. Fire Country didn't even exist.

The couple lived happily, until the birth of their children: First one girl, Midori later one boy, Yoji. None of them had white eyes, the trademark of the Hyuga clan. The tradition stated that children from the branch house had to be marked with the Branch Seal. However a horrified Mochikuzi refused to let his children marked. On the other hand Hyuga Mirika was proud to be a member of the Hyuga clan and disagreed with her husband. The couple quarrelled and eventually divorced. Mirika was granted custody of the girl and Hijiko of the boy.

When their parents divorced, the two children lost contact with each other, as their parents didn't want them to know of each other. They travelled far away from each other: Hijiko because he was afraid the Hyugas would force Yoji to be marked; Mirika because that was the normal clan procedure in case of a divorce. Each of children were raised believing they didn't have any siblings. and none of them knew that their other parent was still alive.

That was the way it should have ended: A marriage, a divorce, and four people going on with their lives. Nobody had to die, nobody's life had to be destroyed.

Sadly, more than twenty years later, Hyuga Mirika died because an embolism. Despite the fact that Midori was now considered an adult, she felt more alone than ever. This loneliness prompted her to reach out to her mother's clan, the Hyugas.

That same year a routine blood test discovered that Midori's Hyuga blood had suffered a strange evolution. The modified Hyuga genotype was dominant, against the recessive genotype from the Mochikuzi clan. If Midori could have a descendant with somebody with the same genotype, that descendant would only have the modified Hyuga's genotype. Preliminary tests indicated that this dominant genotype could far surpass any physical restrictions that the Hyuga eyes suffered from. Based on this information, the head of the Hyuga clan determined that this genotype could be an important addition to the clan gene pool and took measures into his own hands to ensure its growth.

The head of the Hyuga family was Hyuga Shingen. He wasn't a bad person. Tales of the time even told about his excellent leadership. He knew the true golden rule: Being a good leader means being able to care about your people, cry for their deaths, and yet being able to sacrifice pawns for the greater good without a second thought.

Shingen offered to Midori a possible upgrade to her status, he offered her to let her join the main Hyuga family. The only condition was that she needed at least a descendant with somebody with mixed Mochikuzi and Hyuga blood.

The problem was the Mochikuzi clan was really minute and no member could be located. Well no member, except for the old Hijiko and the young Yoji who lived far away. Obviously the young Yoji, the brother of Midori, was the better option since he was younger.

Midori was very surprised when she heard his father was still alive and more so when she heard she had a brother. For the sake of the clan and for her own need to get out of the branch family, she agreed to have an offspring with her brother.

The opportunity to breed a new Hyuga creature with advanced genes was taken and the efficient Hyuga High Command started a plan.

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"Wait!" Sakura asked. "You are saying that they were brother and sister!"

"That's right." Sasuke explained, stopping his tale.

"And there was a plan to… create a new son… with both of them as parents? That's…

"… incest? Sick? That's right. It was also a brilliant idea. I'm not saying it was the most ethical idea. I'm not even saying that I have to like it, but…" Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly "It was a most ambitious plan."

Sakura rubbed her hands together. Suddenly she was feeling cold. She glanced at Naruto's tomb. She almost cried when he thought how much Naruto would be screaming in horror at that moment.

"Please continue." She pleaded.

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Mochikuzi Yoji was a satisfied person with his lot in life: He worked as a qualified bodyguard and sometimes as a bouncer and he was saving money to buy a house big enough for him and his fiancée, his high-school sweetheart. His was a simple, productive, happy life.

The first "weird" thing that happened to him was one job as a bodyguard for a caravan. His employer, one creepy lord with totally white eyes, ordered him to write everything about himself. The reason, the lord explained, was that he had this superstition that any bodyguard of his had to come clean about himself. Yoji didn't mind. The trip would be short and the pay would be large. So he wrote, about his life, his father, his fiancée… Yoji mentioned, when asked, that his mother had died when he had been born and he barely had any recollection of her. The lord asked if he had any sisters. Yoji explained that he didn't. He would have liked to have one though. His only family was his father, but that was fine for him since he loved his father very much and they had a great relationship.

The trip didn't have any incidents.

His good life started to go wrong when his father, Hijiko, was killed in his house. The police deduced that the killer had entered the house to rob it, thinking it was empty. Hijiko had surprised him, there had been a fight and the robber had killed him; just a robbery gone wrong.

Yoji took care of the funeral. A lot of friends came to pay their respect. Sadly, there wasn't any family present since he didn't know any other relatives of his father.

Tragedy struck again two months later. Yoji's fiancée was killed in a strange fire that partly destroyed one whole street in the village. Police proved that the fire had been intentional, but they couldn't identify the arsonist.

The street started to be rebuilt, but Yoji didn't care anymore. He was so devastated about his recent losses that he didn't even realise that among his new neighbours there was a woman around his age.

He met his new neighbour on the street four months later. She presented herself as Hyuga Midori. She mentioned her family, the Hyuga clan. Yoji mentioned the first time he had met a person from that clan and they had a good laugh about superstitions.

They met again two weeks afterwards in his amateur drama group. He discovered she had his same tastes. When she asked, he recommended to her his favourite gym and she joined with the same timetable as him. They started going out. Yoji was glad he had found such a good friend.

She helped him recover from the pain of his loss and, with time, he fell in love with her. He was glad when he found out she returned his feelings.

They were married almost three years after meeting each other for the first time, or so Yoji thought.

Just a few weeks later his life started to go really wrong again. He was accused of a murder he didn't commit. He didn't want to run away, but the false evidence seemed to be overwhelming. His wife convinced him to flee to the holdings of the numerous and powerful Hyuga clan.

Yoji was sorry he had to leave his home behind, but he was willing to start a new life with the family of his wife.

The Hyuga clan was an extremely weird family. Almost all of them were shinobis, and very strong at what they did. They mostly kept their feelings to themselves, and he couldn't understand at all the division between the main Hyuga family and the branch family. At least his wife belonged to the main family.

Probably the worst one was Hyuga Shingen. He was very correct and polite with him and his wife. He helpfully offered him a house and even a nice-paying job. He was almost too courteous, but there was something… _off_ in him.

After a few weeks he came to understand Shingen better. There was an exceptional mind behind his white eyes, he could notice that with a simple glance, but there was still something incorrect in him. Like if some kind of god had created an artificial human, but forgot about the feeling of empathy.

Life went on. People were cold but well-mannered. Toji couldn't say he loved the place, but nobody ever gave him a reason for leaving. Also, his wife loved living there.

After some years his wife got pregnant. He couldn't believe his joy. As always, the creepy part came from Shingen, who congratulated him as a general would congratulate a commander who had won a battle. The head of the Hyugas mentioned the importance of perpetuating the species and the glory of helping the Hyuga clan.

After a difficult pregnancy a son was born: Mochikuzi Hokuse, who had his eyes totally white, as fitting for a member of the Hyuga clan. Five years later a new son was born, Mochikuzi Otoro; his eyes were normal.

The two brothers loved each other very much. From the beginning they showed great shinobi abilities. Hyuga Shingen and Midori loved Hokuse dearly. Probably it was related to the whiteness of the older brother's eyes. Yoji tried to be fair to the both of them, but he had to admit he was somehow closer to Otoro. Hokuse was wise and strong. Otoro was also very strong but he had a wild streak.

Years passed.

Hokuse and Otoro became shinobis. Hokuse was very serious and hard-working. Otoro had a sense of adventure. At the age of twenty-five he had already travelled to far-away lands and visited numerous different clans. He brought a woman from his travels. She wasn't a Hyuga, meaning she wasn't exactly well-liked by the Hyuga clan. Her name was Sakura and her hair had the colour of wild fire.

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"Sakura?" The person with the same name interrupted again the narrator.

"That's right, Sakura." Sasuke stated.

After a pause, he continued.

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Both siblings were among the top of the Hyuga shinobis, but the supposed evolution hadn't happened yet. Life was peaceful, and it could have stayed that way. It was an accident, really. Just a comment carelessly said which shattered the peace forever.

Hokuse and Otoro were training hard with other Hyugas. Shingen and Midori were conversing about the two outstanding shinobis and praising their abilities. Yogi arrived in that very moment and walked behind them. Neither Shingen nor Midori heard him coming. Shingen said one casual comment that changed all their lives and started what the Hyuga's historians named as the "Uchiha tragedy"

"The plan worked perfectly". Shingen commented, almost to himself. Midori nodded.

Yogi heard Shingen's words and watched Midori's gesture. He backed silently away and returned a few minutes later. Midori lovingly kissed him and Shingen congratulated him for his extremely talented sons. Yogi made small-talk with them while he wondered what "plan" were they talking about. The decision to enrol Hokuse and Otoro into shinobi academy had been taken by him and Midori together. That supposed plan had to go further back.

It sucked to hear again the voices from the back of his mind that had warned him against the Hyugas.

A few days later Yogi hired a private detective totally unrelated to the Hyugas to inquire about his wife. The detective he hired wasn't very good; maybe Yogi chose a bad detective on purpose, a subconscious attempt to let things slide.

Unfortunately the detective aced his job. He found out that the supposed robber that had killed Hijiko, Yogi's father, had used a kunai; a weapon hard to use for non-shinobis. The detective also discovered that a woman with totally white eyes had bought some oil the day before the fire that had killed Yogi's former fiancée. The description of the woman matched Midori's.

All of the findings were bad, but the most startling discovery was yet to come. When the detective tried to confirm if Midori was Hijiko's killer through DNA's remains that were found on the murder's site, he found out that Midori and Yogi were actually brother and sister.

After receiving the detective's report, Yogi confronted his wife/sister. Midori didn't bother anymore with pretending. She confessed her deed; it had been an order from Shingen, and she was proud to serve the clan; her honour demanded it so.

Disgusted to the core of his being, Yogi turned around to leave. He was suddenly attacked and stabbed from behind by her sister. He agonized for more than ten minutes under the gleeful scrutiny of the person that he had promised to love "till death do them part".

Midori told her two sons that Yogi had killed himself. They believed her, of course. Doesn't every child instinctively trust its mother?

It was very ironic that the piece of evidence that destroyed the Hyuga clan's plans was just a harmless-looking bill. When Hokuse and Otoro were cleaning the house, they found the detective's receipt. The two brothers noticed the date, right before his death, and went to ask questions to the detective, who was very helpful.

When they learnt the truth, they felt the whole world turned against them. Their parents were brother and sister, and most, if not all, of the Hyugas above a certain age knew also the truth. They had been lied to by everybody they trusted.

Hokuse, the serious brother ran away, trying to make sense about why everything he believed was a lie. Otoro reacted differently. Blind with rage and fury, he decided to become an avenger. He decided to exterminate the Hyuga clan to the last man, woman and child.

The opening of his vendetta was the attack against one of the Hyuga clan's main villages, and killed sixty-six people before he was chased away. To the few survivors, he announced that he was not a Hyuga anymore. From that moment on, he was Uchiha Otoro. The name came from her mother's paper fan.

The Rubicon had been crossed. Shingen decided that Otoro was going to be captured alive, tortured, dissected alive, kept his intestines for examination, and thrown the other leftovers to the dogs. As a first measure, almost all of his non-Hyuga friends were arrested after paying enough bribes to the proper authorities. Later they were questioned and tortured, hoping to draw out the Uchiha. It didn't work, as Otoro was walking the Meifumado, a path of demons and damnation towards achieving his revenge.

For seven years Otoro waged war on his new enemies, which included all his childhood friends and all the people he had lived with. Otoro through guerrilla warfare, single-handlely killed hundreds of Hyugas, without sparing anybody with white eyes. The Hyugas tried to kill him through mercenaries, bounty-hunters and allies of the Hyuga clan, besides the famous shinobis of the Hyuga clan. They fought him with bravery, but discovered to his horror that Otoro had learnt many deadly techniques from the clans and lands he had visited.

He took her girlfriend Sakura as his mate since he needed a descendant to continue his revenge as he was likely to die before exterminating the whole Hyuga clan. He had loved her before, but now there was just emptiness in his heart. He gave Sakura every reason to leave her, almost encouraging her to leave him and yet she didn't. Maybe she found something in him that he didn't think existed anymore. Maybe she was too stubborn for his own good. Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind. Therefore the winged Cupid is painted blind.

Hokuse appeared a few times… still not siding with anybody, but appalled at the violence he was watching. He tried to stop the war, but only managed to make both sides agree that they didn't want a peaceful settlement. Hokuse tried to protect the innocents. He saved Sakura's life three times and innumerable Hyuga lives. While Otoro was known as the Avenger, he was known as the Protector. Otoro didn't want to fight his cherished brother, so he usually fled whenever he saw his brother.

It was only at the end of those seven years that Otoro finally was trapped. He was chased by seventy-seven hunters-nins from the Hyuga clan, specially prepared and trained to kill him and led by no other that Hyuga Shingen. It was almost the last card of the Hyugas. Otoro would have tried to stand and fight, but his mother was also there. He tried to retreat, but since he was trapped, he was given no other choice but to fight back.

In the terrible battle that lasted twenty-four hours, Otoro finally developed his ability, which he named the Sharingan. Covered with blood from head to toe, his eyes also turned red; the expert of understanding foreign techniques got the bloodline ability to copy the skills of his enemies. It was a glorious battle.

His mother also died at his hands.

In the middle of the combat lust, he didn't notice it was her till the last second. He tried to stop his weapon's thrust, but it was too late. He saw his katana's going through his mother's belly, the place he had come from originally. He screamed in denial, till another hunter-nin took out part of his face with a spiked club. Otoro's body, honed by a thousand battles, reacted. He used all his pain against them, slashing and tearing and killing to save his own hide.

The last one left was Hyuga Shingen. Otoro hated him, because it was the head of the Hyuga clan who had started the plan that destroyed his life. Shingen hated Otoro because all the pain and death the young warrior had caused.

They fought with mighty rage and consummate skill, black fire throbbing on their blood. Eventually Otoro got the upper hand and managed to twist Shingen's neck with a precise move.

He had almost accomplished his revenge… he was just so tired… just a little bit further and he could die in peace.

He returned to his temporal base. One of the many he had, because he had to be constantly on the move to avoid his enemies. Sakura was there, the person that had offered rest and shelter even in the worst situations. She told him that she was pregnant. An offspring was not needed anymore since the Hyuga clan was as good as finished, but Otoro decided that he didn't want to leave behind a legacy of blood. He tried to escape the circle of violence. He opened some negotiations with the Hyuga clan and a temporary truce was made.

Otoro and Sakura tried to live in peace. They managed for four years. They had a beautiful son called Satoshi. They dreamed of living in peace.

Then Hokuse appeared again.

He came into sight of the house of Otoro and Sakura. They saw him, but didn't make any attempt of trying to approach him. They could feel the shadow of death on him.

He stood in front of their house for the whole day. It rained that night. When dawn came he was still there. He didn't move for the whole day again. When nightfall came, he hadn't moved, as if he were a statue of salt. The third day was very cold, but Hokuse didn't waver.

At dawn of the fourth day Otoro went to meet his dear brother.

"Long time no see, aniki." Otoro said.

Hokuse closed his eyes.

"I tried to stop all of you. Now you killed mom." There was pain in Hokuse's voice.

"She killed dad. She deserved it." Otoro soothingly answered. "I didn't mean it, though."

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not."

Otoro looked at his house. Hokuse nodded. They had always been very close. They didn't need many words to understand each other.

That night Otoro and Sakura made love sweetly with each other. They slept together. Their thoughts, their thoughts together, their bodies, touching each other... and then sleep flowed through each of them. When she woke up, he was gone.

Hokuse was waiting for his little brother. They took off together. The avenger turned protector and the protector turned avenger.

They visited the place where they had been born. It had been burnt to the ground, as it was one of the first places that Otoro had attacked.

At that chosen place they battled. They had been brothers and even the best of friends when they were young. Now there was only regret.

They fought with hate, savagery and regret. Both of them had bathed in blood too often. So they met, equal in fury, equal in blood, equal when the fall. They were breathtaking and deadly forces of war, raised to the level of an art form

It took ninety-nine minutes of combat, where Individual wounds didn't matter and where pain, both physical and mental, was an environment. Finally Otoro, more experienced in the art of killing, struck an almost-fatal blow. Hokuse collapsed, trying to hold his guts inside. Otoro was on him in an instant, ready for the final blow… but they were still brothers. Otoro hesitated when the chance came and gave his brother a second, which Hokuse took.

There was a loud sound as Otoro's side was sprayed with a mist of hot crimson, and there was a supernova where his arm used to be. Shock raced through Otoro's system, caressing every part of his body with the urgency of a rabid lover.

Both of them were using their last strength. They were standing only through force of will. Otoro and Hokuse collapsed on the other, hugging and stabbing each other simultaneously. They used the other's body as support, till Hokuse fell down from blood loss.

Otoro kneeled and kissed him a good-night kiss. Then the protector turned avenger died. Otoro screamed as his eyes suffered a change: The Mangekyou Sharingan, the evolution of a terrifying gift created through sins and experiments. The platoon of Hyugas that had been waiting to kill the survivor of the fight didn't stand a chance.

Otoro desperately tried to crawl towards his love, towards life. He died halfway.

When Sakura learnt the death of his love, she went crazy. She set fire on the house, trying to kill herself and the child. They both died on the fire, or so the Hyuga clan thought.

Fifty years later, four shinobis appeared. They were the second and third generation of the Uchiha clan appeared: Uchiha Satoshi and his three sons. All of them had the ability to turn their eyes to the color of blood and to copy any jutsus used against them. Their favorite techniques were related to fire, as Satoshi's nightmares were packed with the flames that devoured her mother.

The scared Hyuga leadership decided to settle for peace rather than risking another war: All parties accepted the lasting peace treaty between the old Hyuga clan and the newly created Uchiha clan. The leader of the Hyuga clan, the daughter of Shingen, accepted the peace, and yet issued a warning.

"This is a treaty of peace. It is actually a trap. You Uchihas are beasts. You will fight each other until there is only two left. Those two will fight each other until there is only one left. The one left will kill itself."

The treaty was signed. There was still a lot of bad blood between them, but time heals everything. A long time later the First Hokage created the village of the Leaf, and two of the clans that worked together to create it were the Uchiha clan and the Hyuga clan.

Four generations later the Uchiha massacre took place, and the wheels of destiny started moving again.

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Sasuke ended his tale. Sakura noticed that it was dark already. The cemetery didn't look a very welcoming place to stay at night. The story had been long, and she had felt it was even longer.

"That's the story. I learnt the story reading some old manuscripts. It's not that I care about old stories. But…" Sasuke shuddered "I have considered the possibility that the prophecy will come true. That Itachi and I will kill eventually each other and nothing will be left."

"The hell he will." She firmly said.

"Sometimes I feel the avenger taking over me. Many times I feel I'm losing myself on the Avenger."

"The hell you will." She firmly added. "You were right. The story is too old. Let's not tell this tale to anybody else."

"I just can't let Itachi go, and his anger has left a scar inside of me. I'm pathetic. My weakness caused Naruto to die." Sasuke said the last part so quietly she almost couldn't hear. He lowered his head.

She stood up and moved toward him. She tenderly hugged Sasuke

"Honor Naruto's memory by cherishing what you knew of him. Honor who he was and be proud you were a part of his life. Remember that he would have died for you."

Sasuke leaned his head on her.

"We have to go to speak to that fortune-teller" He warned.

"True." She agreed, still leaning on him. "I don't care about prophecies or psycho brothers. You are not dying. We are going to live happily. Is that clear?"

"Hn. Maybe with your help I can".

Probably the cemetery wasn't the most romantic place in the world. It was cold and wet. But it was more than fine for them as they had each other. In a few seconds they were in the ground exchanging kisses and tasting each other.

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Itachi and Kisame had been working hard preparing the place for the battle: They had recognized the place and gotten the upper ground; booby traps had been set; weapons had been hidden; they had eaten well to get enough energy.

The only thing left to do was to wait. In the meantime and loss. He had expected his bulky teammate to understand it after repeating it nine times. Apparently he was too optimistic.

"I don't get it. That Otoro was gay. Why did he have to stop killing the Hyugas just when he was about to exterminate them all? And he stopped because of a woman! Boring!" Kisame complained.

Itachi growled at his teammate.

"… Kisame… That's not the point of the story."

"Well, the story was too long anyway. I only cared about the part when the guy was killing his enemies."

"I'll try giving you a short version: In Greek mythology when Orestes killed his own mother, Clitemnestra, the furies came to punish him, as the act of matricide demanded an accounting. The tragedy of Orestes is that, had he spared his mother, the furies would have come all the same since his mother had murdered his father, Agamemnon. He never had a way out." Long sigh "Do you understand _now_ the metaphor of the story?"

"Errr, well… I think… Maybe… could be… errr… No. Was Orestes an Uchiha?"

Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Besides me, there are only psychos and morons in the ranks of Akatsuki."

"Yep, that's what I am. A true psycho!" Kisame boasted. "Wait. You aren't calling me a moron, are you?"

"Orestes didn't have anything to do with the Uchiha." Itachi explained without bothering to answer. Suicide would be anticlimactic, wouldn't be? "This is Greek mythology. I just used that story as an example of things that can't end well, that will have a terrible ending no matter what the characters will do or the choices they make. That's what a tragedy is. It means my future may well be damned. Do you understand _now_?"

"I understand it" Kisame declared not understanding at all, Itachi noticed to his desperation. "And what are the furies?"

"In Greek mythology they were the female personifications of vengeance" Itachi wondered about going on a rampage again.

"I get it now! They were female Uchihas!" Kisame yelled, glad to have finally understood

For the umpteenth time Itachi groaned with great displeasure as he felt the urge to murder suddenly arising from within.

The conversation was interrupted by somebody approaching. Itachi and Kisame felt it, an incredibly powerful chakra, coming closer. Both Akatsuki members stood in sober silence, feeling the tremendous powerhouse and two smaller satellites arriving. The hate emanating from the monster was overpowering. It reminded Itachi of his foolish little beloved brother. Kisame started to laugh when the thought about the beautiful battle coming.

After a few minutes, the three pursuers arrived with intents of killing. The person leading the chasing team had an important duty, but decided to leave everything behind because a death of a precious friend.

"Nice to meet you. I have heard a lot of you, Gaara-kun." Itachi saluted.

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Well, here is finally the Original Uchiha Tragedy, which spawned the Uchiha clan. I hope you liked it. Please, give me your opinions.

According to the canon, the Uchiha clan spawned from the Hyuga clan. However I found unlikely that the powerful Hyuga clan would let the sharingan ability escape from their clan without a terrible fight.

When I wrote the story, I tried to depict the characters as neither of them necessary evil, but moved by different fair reasons, like the desire to help the clan or the desire to revenge one's father.

Also, I didn't expect Kisame would become the comic-relief in this story. As with so many things in this tale, it just happened on his own

I expect that next chapter will bring the conclusion to the second part of the saga, with appearances from Orochimaru, Gaara, the Hokage and Itachi, besides the golden couple, Sasuke and Sakura. Please don't forget to post your review.


	36. Interlude: Happy New Year

**Interlude**

"_I love family reunions. I get to torture my brother every time."_

Uchiha Itachi.

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_The three of them were comrades. Above all their differences, above all fates that the future could bring, they would always remain comrades._

_It hadn't been a good year. The war was almost over, and Dan was dead. She had tried to kill herself to stop the suffering. The easiest way she had found was throwing herself into battle after battle without even taking the most elementary precautions, trying to get her status updated to "hero". In war there were a thousand chances to become a hero and to have your name carved in a cold stone. Dead heroes felt no pain._

_Orochimaru had clearly told her that he didn't care for her safety. He only cared for accomplishing the missions. The fact that he was saving her ass was just a side-effect of his duty._

_The first month alone he saved her life in seventeen occasions._

_She had moved eleven times to a different squad. She had needed to fill out a lot of paperwork. Orochimaru had an easier time following her into the different squads. He was a respected genius and the Third's protégé, after all._

_Her second idea had been cutting her wrist in a carefully locked room in her locked house. The blood had barely started to flow free when Jiraiya, the most outstanding peeping tom in Leaf Village, had broken her door and saved her._

_She had finally given up with the whole suicide idea, since it seemed to be impossible to escape from the careful watch from her friends._

_That night was New Year's Eve and, like every night for the last thirteen years, they had gone out to have a drinking party._

_As she drank cup of sake after cup of Sake, Tsunade was thinking about Orochimaru and Jiraiya and her. People called them the future of the Leaf, but she didn't think she had any future. Not in the Leaf, at least._

_She looked again at her two team-mates. She liked them and she even loved them, although at times she did hate them. _

_Jiraiya was just a grown-up kid. He had great abilities and powers. Only Orochimaru could match him on a real fight. He was even charming when he wanted to be. However he was too irresponsible. He had refused to have under his command any squad during the war, never lead any offensive against the enemy. Sometimes she couldn't stand his relaxed attitude._

_Orochimaru was very Orochimaru-like, as always. He was a genius, truly. He had lead more than two hundred missions and raids during the ongoing war and he had been successful in all of them. When he wanted to be he could be charismatic, too. He could read any person and find their weak points. He knew which buttons to press. His main problem was that no matter how extraordinary he was, he would always lack social skills. People were unconsciously afraid of him, and the idiot didn't mind. He actually revelled in those feelings, glad that he didn't have to waste time with social formalities. He would be the next Hokage; that much was for sure. Nobody liked him, but everybody knew he was the strongest in the Leaf. He would be an effective Hokage._

_Dan…_

_She was just… tired. She wanted to leave. The war was almost over. She had lost too many people. She wasn't sure about the future. She wasn't needed in the Leaf. The Third would remain as Hokage and Orochimaru would eventually succeed him. Jiraiya would make sure Orochimaru didn't forget how to be human._

_She just… she needed a break._

"_Happy New Year!" Jiraiya yelled raising his glass, interrupting her heavy thoughts._

"_Happy New Year" Tsunade agreed also lifting hers. At least her two friends, her adoptive family, were safe._

_Orochimaru gazed at them with his typical "I'm-better-than-you-and-you-are-idiots" expression till he eventually repeated their gesture. "Happy New Year"_

_At least, even if one day they had to go on separate paths, they would always remain friends. They would always come back in New Years Eve to have their drinking party…_

Tsunade blinked as she awoke. She had fallen asleep again on her table as she worked on the new ANBU teams.

"It has been a long time…" She whispered aloud.

That had been the last time they had their annual drinking party. What had happened afterwards? They had acted normally for some time, but next year they had missed the party. Was it her fault, because she had been too taken with her pain?

She looked at the calendar and noticed that tonight was New Years Eve. The thought of spending it alone again…

----------

_The three of them were comrades. Above all their differences, above all fates that the future could bring, they would always remain comrades._

_He appreciated his comrades, whenever he wasn't thinking how weak they were. He despised their liberal attitude. All of them had great powers, but they didn't have the right frame of mind to use them effectively. They had to follow too many rules and regulations made by civilian countries to control their shinobis. The three of them had trained very hard and achieved mastery over the elements and even over their own bodies. How come they had to act so humbly? The idiots! They had worked very hard to adquire their inhuman powers. Years of training and sacrifices to iron their bodies and abilities Shouldn't they use them as they saw fit? Even Danzou, that crazy xenophobe, was more right than the Third. _

_It wasn't that he didn't value his team-mates and his sensei. They were strong. They complemented each other perfectly. He could actually call them "friends" without making a grimace. Actually, to call them friends was wrong. They were all shinobis. The teachings of the Leaf were clear: Shinobis shouldn't let distractions like friendship burden their blades. They were all tools for the benefit of the Leaf._

_If Tsunade was to die because of an accident or chance there wasn't anything he could do. However he was not going to let her die because that weakling of Dan. He and Jiraiya didn't agree in many topicss, but they had wholeheartedly agreed that Dan wasn't good enough for her. He was just a chuunin, too brash, too reckless... a person like him in a time of war was an obvious future victim. He had warned Tsunade. It wasn't his fault that she was too much in love to notice it._

_Love, another dangerous feeling for a tool. Shinobis in war bathed daily in blood. To think they could escape the whirlwind of violence was tragic for themselves and for all the people involved. Tsunade had tried to dream on a happy future. Her result of her hope was the hopelessness after her boyfriend's death. _

_He should have killed that weakling of Dan before he got so close to Tsunade. His death had brought her too much pain. Her suffering was... distracting._ _The temptation to say "I told you so," had been almost irresistible._

_Jiraiya was a nice person, meaning he was a fool. He acted as a pervert because he needed an armour to protect himself. After watching so much violence you could only ignore it or embrace it. Jiraiya had chosen to ignore it, acting irresponsibly to try to forget the suffering he had witnessed._

_Tsunade, Jiraiya and him: The three sannins. The three of them were considered the future of the village. The three of them were soldiers who had won battles over piles of corpses. His two comrades wanted to survive the brutality and the madness by trying to forget._

_He was different. If he couldn't escape the violence, he would rule over violence. If shinobis only tried to follow orders, he would become the one that gave the orders. If shinobis had mastered the elements, he would go even further. He would destroy the frontiers between the worlds. He would learn how to resurrect people. He would learn the immortality jutsu. As soon as he became Hokage he would concentrate all the assets of the Leaf on that pursuit. He was going to be the next Hokage. Tsunade was too busy with her useless pain and nobody respected Jiraiya, even if he was talented. He had great talent. He would be the best Hokage ever. Nobody else would die. Tsunade would lose her distracting pain. His parents could..._

_No, he shouldn't remember that. He wasn't weak. He was strong. He was a genius. He..._

"_Happy New Year!" Jiraiya yelled, distracting him._

"_Happy New Year" Tsunade repeated as an echo._

_Orochimaru smiled inside. Having friends was a weakness, unfitting for a future Hokage. Friend was, more often than not, someone who eventually became eulogized about at funerals with downcast eyes and an aura of guilt and depression. Still, a genius like him could allow at least one little weakness. Tsunade and Jiraiya were his friends, even if he would prefer being roasted alive rather than saying it aloud._

_He lifted his glass of sake. He hadn't drunk in the whole night, but he would lower his guard in front of them. He grinned in that one way that crept out everybody else but his friends._

"_Happy New Year"_

_At least, even if one day they had to go on separate paths, they would always remain friends. They would always come back in New Years Eve to have their drinking party._

Orochimaru awoke trembling on his ivory and gold throne.

"It has been a long time since I last thought…" He whispered aloud.

That had been the last time they had their annual drinking party. What had happened afterwards? They had acted normally for some time, but next year they had missed the party. Was it his fault, because he had been too busy learning new jutsus and investigating about the immortality jutsu?

Tonight was New Years Eve. Kabuto was organizing the new squads. Things were moving forward. He was alone…

------------------

_The three of them were comrades. Above all their differences, above all fates that the future could bring, they would always remain comrades._

_Jiraiya knew that he loved his friends, but he was concerned. He wasn't sure when it had started, but there was a small but growing rift between the three sannins._

_Tsunade sometimes watched the walls of the Leaf as they were prison's walls. It was probably Dan's fault. Orochimaru and he discussed almost daily; actually Orochimaru never discussed and only baited the other, but that's just the way he was. The only time they didn't fight was when they were really irritated with each other. Among the few topics they actually agreed about, the most prominent was Dan: He wasn't good enough for her. Dan wasn't a bad person, but it had been the three of them for so long that the addition of anyone else felt like a violation of something sacred. Dan had tried to impress his girlfriend, but he was untalented and ended up losing his young life. Tsunade had lost her heart that day._

_She had tried to kill herself many times afterwards .Orochimaru had informed him that he didn't care; Tsunade was a team-mate, not a friend. That was good old Orochimaru for you. However it had been suspiciously easy to convince him to take care of Tsunade while they were together on missions. Orochimaru had clearly explained that he only cared for the well-being of the mission. He hadn't explained why he had followed Tsunade eleven times to different squads, but he surely had a perfectly reasonable explanation in store in case anybody asked._

_So far so good. Tsunade was sticking to staying physically alive for a little while longer. The hard part was convincing her to stay spiritually alive._

_Orochimaru was also closing off from everybody. People called him a freak behind his back and he didn't care. He was always obsessing with learning new jutsus. He would prefer spend the rest of his life learning some secret obscure jutsu nobody ever heard about rather than meeting new people. He didn't even want to admit that he was too scarred. He had worn his parents' kimono for years after their death. His obsession for learning that crazy immortality jutsu was also related to people dying around him during the war. Pity that the so called "genius" was too scared to try to understand his own feelings. He would rather use a sarcastic comment in anybody who tried to get close to him._

_When his friends looked at the future, they looked over the Leaf's walls. He didn't care about the Leaf, the war, or the title of Hokage. He just wanted nothing to change. He wanted his friends to remain with him. He wanted his little world to remain safe and all its cracks to disappear._

_The old man had explained a long time ago that nothing can stop the tides of change. All those who tried were pushed away. Well, he was famous around the Leaf for his perseverance. He wasn't going to give up. He would help and heal his friends. He would be their guardian._

_That night was New Year's Eve and, like every night for the last thirteen years, they had gone out to have a drinking party. They would _always_ have their party. Nothing would stop it, even if they had to use masks to hide their scars._

_He glanced at Tsunade. Tears were struggling to leave her eyes. She was probably remembering Dan again. He didn't even need to see Orochimaru's face to guess that he was thinking again about his immortality jutsu, or another new crazy obsession. Well, he wasn't going to let them brood anymore._

"_Happy New Year!" Jiraiya yelled raising his glass and with the mask of happiness, interrupting their thoughts._

"_Happy New Year" Tsunade agreed lifting hers. Jiraiya wanted to hug her and promise her that nobody else would ever die. He silently wished he were brave enough._

_Orochimaru gazed at them with his typical sarcastic expression, even if for one second that mask almost broke. Almost. Eventually he also copied their gesture "Happy New Year" Jiraiya considered the possibility of punching him._

_At least, even if one day they had to go on separate paths, they would always remain friends. They would always come back in New Years Eve to have their drinking party…_

Jiraiya awoke in a puddle of his own vomit and with a terrible hangover. His eyes were wet with tears.

"It has been a long time since I last thought about those idiots". He observed.

That had been the last time they had their annual drinking party. What had happened afterwards? They had acted normally for some time, but next year they had missed the party. Was it his fault, because he had been too busy grooming the promising shinobi that would become the future Hokage?

It was New Years Eve. He hadn't been able to spend it with anybody for a long time already…

------------------

"For you guys. Happy New Year" Tsunade called out in the vacant office, raising his glass, like that time, so long ago

----------------

"For you guys. Happy New Year" Orochimaru called out in the bare throne room, raising his glass, like that time, so long ago.

----------------

"For you guys. Happy New Year" Jiraiya called out in the empty street, raising his glass, like that time, so long ago

And happy memories were remembered again. Quickly their owners tried to get rid of them drowning themselves into their new duties or obsessions.

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OMAKE:

Sakura was considered a nice and patient kunoichi by everybody, including her husband. However there was one thing that she hated: New Year's family reunion.

Why, she wondered. Why did she have to suffer them? Meeting relatives she didn't know or at best she barely knew; making small-talk with people you probably hated; talking with family members who were basically strangers. Aaaaarrggggghhhh

It drove her crazy.

When she had married Sasuke, she had been sure there would NOT be any family reunions. All Sasuke's family were killed... almost. His brother was still alive. At least, she had thought in her innocence, chances were he wasn't going to visit them. Itachi really didn't get along with his younger brother.

All her hopes had been ruthlessly crushed when he appeared in their doorstep without proper notice.

Now they were all sitting in the dining table. Sakura had worked hard preparing a perfect dinner with onirigi and tomatoes, Sasuke's favourite food. Pity he wasn't eating, being too busy glaring at his older brother with the famous Uchiha glare. Itachi was just acting cool, as always.

"How have you been doing this whole year, Itachi-san?" Sakura asked, trying to lower the tension in the table.

"Nothing much" He answered, as if he were too cool to answer such an inane question.

Sakura started to sweat-drop as he felt Sasuke's anger increasing.

"Sasuke, please, at least be polite to our guest for tonight. He even brought a present" She pointed at a wrapped gift.

"I got a Hyuga to check it out. It's a woman's severed head!"

Sakura continued to sweat-drop as Goosebumps began to appear on their skin

"It's a souvenir from Akatsuki. The least you could do is accept it" Sigh "I don't know why I bother with you. Your hate is not enough. You have to hate me, hate me, hate me, hate me, and hate me… errr… Sorry. I got carried away."

Sasuke glared at him with the Uchiha Glare of Doom tm

"Could you at least remove your coat for dinner, Itachi-san?"

"No" He answered gazing at her sister-in-law. "The coat is specially designed by Akatsuki to increase coolness. It's the only reason anybody would wear such a bothersome coat in the middle of a combat"

"Is that the reason you killed all of our family? Because you wanted a coat that made you look good?" Sasuke yelled

"Hnn" The older Uchiha answered holding up a hand and studying his purple nails, as if his manicure was more important than his brother, which only increased the hate meter to 1000

"That's _it_! I am going to kill you! I am going to spend the rest of my life hating you. I am going to avenge my family!" Sasuke yelled raising a fist.

"Not again!" Sakura quietly whimpered.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" Itachi answered with a wave of hand dismissing his younger brother. "Your hate is not strong enough. Perhaps I should flay the skin off your wife and have you listen to her screams. Would that do the trick?" Another sigh. "It's so unsatisfactory! Dad and mom would be so disappointed at you."

"I have clung to life miserably only to kill you! I have spent my life hating you!"

"There we go _again_" Itachi complained, worrying about breaking a nail.

"I have lived for this!" Sasuke screamed darting towards Itachi with his Chidori blazing. Itachi quickly got the upper hand. In the middle of the combat the dinner table got destroyed, the food went flying up in the air and hit the ground with a great thud, the house walls became torn up and the New Year's decorations were crushed.

And Sakura? She was bawling her eyes out. "Why...Why..." she whimpered, continuing to sob.

She hated New Years' family reunions.

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.

Christmas in Japan is a festivity which couples celebrate together. New Year's is more of a family reunion. SoI thought: "What if Itachi came homefor New Year's" From that crazy idea I found the inspiration to write this humorous omake. (poor Sakura, lol) However, since there can't be an omake without another chapter first, I wrote a short piece about the three sannins, about regrets and memories.

It's part of the continuity of the Uchiha tragedy, but it's an interlude. The "official" chapter is coming. I suffered a heavy case of writer's block, and also I was very busy with my university exams (I passed all of them. YES! WILD PARTY!). I hope next chapter is coming soon

Have you been reading the Naruto manga lately? I have, and it's lifting my spirits. I find it nice to see the strong loyalty and unbreaking friendship that both Naruto and Sakura feel for Sasuke. In my real life some of my friends have gotten into a fight with each other, and after ten years of being great friends, they don't want to see each other anymore.

Again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year


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